Academic Ghost Writers

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lynch101
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Academic Writing
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of academic ghost writers, particularly in the context of writing and publishing academic papers. Participants explore the implications of using such services, the quality of work produced, and the standards required for publication in academic journals, especially in relation to philosophical arguments like the fine tuning argument and naturalism.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the existence of academic ghost writers, suggesting that if they do exist, their work is likely of poor quality.
  • Another participant notes that the paper in question seems more philosophical than scientific, implying that improved writing may not address the underlying issues of the argument.
  • There is a suggestion that the structure of the paper may need improvement, with a call for "filler" content to enhance context for publication standards.
  • A participant proposes that seeking a coauthor or advice from qualified individuals could be beneficial for improving the paper's quality.
  • Concerns are raised about the ethical implications of using ghost writers, including issues of credit and plagiarism.
  • One participant humorously references an experience with an anonymous referee, suggesting that personal connections can influence academic feedback.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the existence and quality of academic ghost writers, with some questioning their validity and others discussing the potential need for collaboration to enhance academic work. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the ethical considerations and practical implications of using such services.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the assumptions about what constitutes a publishable standard and the specific requirements of physics journals versus philosophical discourse.

Lynch101
Gold Member
Messages
780
Reaction score
85
Are academic ghost writers a thing? I've written a paper on the fine tuning argument, defending naturalism and while the arguments are sound (I would say that) it's not really up to a publishable standard. I worked with an editor but he really only did some copy editing, so I was wondering if anyone here is familiar with such services and might be able to recommend a website or even an individual.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  1. I have never heard of such a thing.
  2. Judging by the papers I have read, if they exist, they are not very good.
  3. Your paper sounds more like philosophy than physics. Better writing won't change that.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Lynch101
Vanadium 50 said:
  1. I have never heard of such a thing.
  2. Judging by the papers I have read, if they exist, they are not very good.
  3. Your paper sounds more like philosophy than physics. Better writing won't change that.
It is in the genre of philosophy but deals with naturalism in the context of fine tuning, with reference to the multiverse hypothesis.

It's more the structure that I think might need work or "filler" in terms of context, I'm just not sure what I would need to add to bring it to a publishable standard.
 
Thread closed temporarily for Moderation...
 
After a Mentor discussion, this thread is reopened provisionally. It may be okay, but we will watch it. Thanks for your patience.
 
Lynch101 said:
I'm just not sure what I would need to add to bring it to a publishable standard.
Presumably you are reading physics journals. Published articles should give you a good idea of what they are looking for.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: berkeman
Lynch101 said:
It's more the structure that I think might need work or "filler" in terms of context, I'm just not sure what I would need to add to bring it to a publishable standard.
Sounds like you need a coauthor, or at least advice from a person who would quality to be a coauthor. I know that, while some of my papers needed the coauthor(s) to be publishable, all of them benefited from advice from qualified people.

Possible coauthors start with the authors of the papers that you cite.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Vanadium 50 and berkeman
Lynch101 said:
Are academic ghost writers a thing?
If it were the case, would anyone who has a ghost writer admit to it? Much like in hip hop.
Lynch101 said:
I've written a paper on the fine tuning argument, defending naturalism and while the arguments are sound (I would say that) it's not really up to a publishable standard.
I'm not convinced by this premise already. Why does one or another stance need to be "defended"? Is this a court trial?
Lynch101 said:
I worked with an editor but he really only did some copy editing, so I was wondering if anyone here is familiar with such services and might be able to recommend a website or even an individual.
Given the title, would you even give credit where it's due? I don't support plagiarism.
 
jrmichler said:
Possible coauthors start with the authors of the papers that you cite.
Referees too.

One physicist I know was a big fan of a particular baseball team. When I got the report from "Referee A", it was anonymous, but so clearly him, in my response I added "The Expos* sure look good this year."

* Name changed to protect the innocent.
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: nuuskur, BillTre and berkeman

Similar threads

  • · Replies 25 ·
Replies
25
Views
2K
Replies
9
Views
14K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
6K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
4K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K