Submitting to Physics Publications: Pros & Cons

[seasnake]

My work is now almost complete and though I have yet to decide if I shall be writing it all up as a book or submit it to physics publications, I'll decide that as I write everything out and polish it up, but my question is, if I decide to go with physics publications is it okay to submit to many at once as opposed to one at a time. I wouldn't mind the one at a time bit, but such publications can take tremendously long periods of time to get back to you after you submit, and then can take tremendously longer to publish if they decide its worthwhile for them to publish. What this amounts to as far as an individual goes, is that a tremendously large amount of time can potentially be wasted per journal they submit, and one can hear an awful lot of no's before they hear a yes.

 

[diazona]

I think that most publications (since of course, this could depend on which one(s) you are looking at) will be okay with submitting to several of them at once. But, here's the catch: once one publication accepts your paper, you need to withdraw it from consideration at all other publications you may have submitted to. Basically, getting a paper published in more than one publication is a serious no-no.

But don't take my word for it. Probably the best place to look for information is on the websites of the publications in question. Or in previous printed issues, since many publications print their submission guidelines in each issue.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I don't know if it is technically disallowed to submit to more than one paper at once, but it is certainly considered very bad form. If you submit it to ten journals, that means ten times as many people have to review it, and at the end of the day it will appear in only one.

As has been pointed out to you before, you should be submitting the paper to journals that you read regularly. That's how you will know how your work fits in, which journal is appropriate, and what the proper format is: you wouldn't send a 600 page book to PRL.

 

[seasnake]

Having ten times the people reviewing work I've spent years upon isn't much of a deterrant given that I'd most likely be giving up copyright for the profitability of journals with no financial enrichment to myself for all my work. Toss in all the frustration of waiting months to be rejected, then resubmitting elsewheres from one journal to the next, and then when being accepted often having to wait for years more to actually be placed into a printed journal, makes me a bit bitter at the very onset. My trust factor of others is very low based upon past experiences and observations of how many have been treated. In terms for what is best for the journals, I could care less, I do however care about what the best way for me and those like me to go.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Having ten times the people reviewing work I've spent years upon isn't much of a deterrant given that I'd most likely be giving up copyright for the profitability of journals with no financial enrichment to myself for all my work.

First, of course it's not a deterrent for you. You're not the one putting the effort in.

Second, "financial enrichment"? You've got to be kidding - nobody makes money publishing physics papers. Even the for-profit journals are subsidized by other fields, like medicine.

Toss in all the frustration of waiting months to be rejected, then resubmitting elsewheres from one journal to the next, and then when being accepted often having to wait for years more to actually be placed into a printed journal, makes me a bit bitter at the very onset.

Years? You're losing credibility when you post things like that. I know of no journals where it takes years between acceptance and publication.

My trust factor of others is very low based upon past experiences and observations of how many have been treated.

Examples, please?

In terms for what is best for the journals, I could care less, I do however care about what the best way for me and those like me to go.

Well, there is a certain refreshing honesty about that view.

I will repeat the usual advice - you should be a regular reader of a journal you intend to submit to.

 

[Dale]

You should definitely submit to one journal at a time. That way, when the reviews come back you can make the suggested improvements before submitting to the next journal. If you submit to all of the journals you can think of at once then you have no opportunity to improve your manuscript.

Also, if the first journal does take more than a couple of months to review then withdraw from that journal and go to the next on your list.

 

[ZapperZ]

It is NOT OK to submit to more than one journal at a time.

Depending on the subject matter, the referee pool can be not only small, but often they talk to each other. If you submit to that many journals, you run the risk of one journal finding out that you've submitted to more than one, and for some, it is considered as a valid reason for rejection. Science and Nature will certainly demand exclusivity.

A more puzzling question when I read this is to ask if you've published a paper before. From my guess at your question, you haven't. So you are not aware of publication costs that authors bare (i.e. you PAY the journal for publication costs, you don't make money out of your publication).

I'm also puzzled by the circumstances surrounding your "work". Most of us will start to publish our work while we're in grad school. Under such circumstances, we are often guided by our advisers, especially in terms of where to publish, how to publish, and what to publish. Not knowing your circumstances, I find it rather odd that you don't have such similar situations, and certainly having people to consult with within an academic establishment. My first inclination is to guess that you're working on some independent "personal theory" (a more polite expression for something else).

Zz.

 

[Astronuc]

It is NOT OK to submit to more than one journal at a time.

Zz.

Right! In fact, some of the journals I read have a requirement that the work not be previously published. Journals put a lot of time and effort in publishing and they don't need to waste resources to publish work that has already been published.

Academic research, which is funded by public or government funds, is supposed to be 'shared'.

Proprietary research, which obviously has high profit potential, is not published.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I'm also puzzled by the circumstances surrounding your "work". Most of us will start to publish our work while we're in grad school. Under such circumstances, we are often guided by our advisers, especially in terms of where to publish, how to publish, and what to publish. Not knowing your circumstances, I find it rather odd that you don't have such similar situations, and certainly having people to consult with within an academic establishment. My first inclination is to guess that you're working on some independent "personal theory" (a more polite expression for something else).

You can see some past discussion with seasnake on this subject https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=324394".

 

[seasnake]

My work is largely mathematical, and has been ongoing for years, in essense what it does is unify physics equations together without changing much but ridding the notion of 11 dimensions to explain everything. My equations are driven by four forces that self manifest between equations. These forces are not self-made up, that is, I can show equations that are generally accepted by the physics community and show exactly where the forces originated out of from said equations. Its a project that has taken me years, and I could well spend years more detangling and understanding more and more, the mathematics ties everything together and as such leads into everything, so it doesn't have an end in sight. I have a good part of ten years in on working with this structure, I don't have a physics background but do have an analytical educationsal background in finance, and as such play around with spreadsheets a lot and fully understand the concept that sum of parts should equal the whole.

No I have never been mentored about how to go about publishing, nor have I worked with university mentors to back my work. As the poster above me mentioned, I do have many past discussions related to this. I'm trying to write everything up, but getting all my T's crossed isn't the easiest thing to do, any issue I have I iron out before moving on regardless of the time and effort it takes, and deriving formulas that work 100% of the time under all variable changes while having everything sum up is often very difficult to do. Eventhough I do most everything on computer, I still go through pens and paper like mad.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Oh dear.

I'm afraid hundreds...perhaps thousands...of amateurs have claimed to do exactly what you have claimed to do. None have been correct.

Let me repeat my advice - you need to be a reader of the journal you submit to. If you want to beat the odds, you need to be familiar with what else is going on in the field.

 

[ZapperZ]

My work is largely mathematical, and has been ongoing for years, in essense what it does is unify physics equations together without changing much but ridding the notion of 11 dimensions to explain everything. My equations are driven by four forces that self manifest between equations. These forces are not self-made up, that is, I can show equations that are generally accepted by the physics community and show exactly where the forces originated out of from said equations. Its a project that has taken me years, and I could well spend years more detangling and understanding more and more, the mathematics ties everything together and as such leads into everything, so it doesn't have an end in sight. I have a good part of ten years in on working with this structure, I don't have a physics background but do have an analytical educationsal background in finance, and as such play around with spreadsheets a lot and fully understand the concept that sum of parts should equal the whole.

No I have never been mentored about how to go about publishing, nor have I worked with university mentors to back my work. As the poster above me mentioned, I do have many past discussions related to this. I'm trying to write everything up, but getting all my T's crossed isn't the easiest thing to do, any issue I have I iron out before moving on regardless of the time and effort it takes, and deriving formulas that work 100% of the time under all variable changes while having everything sum up is often very difficult to do. Eventhough I do most everything on computer, I still go through pens and paper like mad.

Then go right ahead and submit to as many journals as you want, because frankly, I don't think it is going to make any difference in the final outcome. Many journals are used to receiving this kind of "earth-shattering" submission.

I originally offered my advice thinking that this was something "serious". I was mistaken. I also believe that this is not going to be a valuable thread for the rest who are pursuing a more "traditional" approach in getting published.

Zz.

 

[eof]

Why don't you publish your results right here? Just upload the file somewhere and send a link. Absolutely no one would be able to steal your results as you would be well documented as the person who uploaded the files and originated the ideas. Stealing someone else work is a major no-no in academia, so it's not really anything you can do once something has actually been uploaded online with a clear date attached to the file. Getting caught means you might get fired.

Now the fact is that I've read about similar cases on many math related forums where people have claimed solutions to some things and on the first page you see trivial holes in the proofs. Just post the stuff here and let people help you. It's really the best way to get started when you're not affiliated with any institution. If your work is promising someone can even recommend you a paper that could accept it and tell you how you should edit your work (i.e. add relevant citations etc.). You really have nothing to lose.

 

[cristo]

I don't know if it is technically disallowed to submit to more than one paper at once, but it is certainly considered very bad form.

I think it is disallowed. For example, the Physical Review submission rules include

Manuscripts submitted to the journals must contain original work which has not been previously published in a peer-reviewed journal, and which is not currently being considered for publication elsewhere.

I think this is also covered in a tick box you've got to agree to. Thus, if the journal finds out that you've submitted elsewhere, then can technically kick you out.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Why don't you publish your results right here?

It would have to be in the Independent Research forum.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I think it is disallowed.

Good. It should be. And, in any event, it's Just Not Done.

 

[thrill3rnit3]

It would have to be in the Independent Research forum.

I'm sorry if I sound idiotic, but where is the Independent Research forum? I can't seem to find it

edit: nevermind, I found it

 

[fluidistic]

I'm sorry if I sound idiotic, but where is the Independent Research forum? I can't seem to find it

https://www.physicsforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=146

 

[Pengwuino]

I have a good part of ten years in on working with this structure, I don't have a physics background but do have an analytical educationsal background in finance, and as such play around with spreadsheets a lot and fully understand the concept that sum of parts should equal the whole.

I realllllly hope you don't mean 10 years. You're trying to refute the entire scientific community with no scientific background? With some knowledge in spreadsheets?

Actually, after looking through your posts, do you know calculus?

 

[seasnake]

I don't have much objection to posting in the independent research forum and getting feedback. I may do that if people here think its the way to go, but I am not sure if I did so if publications would look at anything that has been publically posted on the web.

If anyone is interested in checking my work, it would require constructing a spreadsheet given the formulas to fully understand their interactions. I have a spreadsheet in such regard already functionally constructed, but there is a big difference between writing it out on paper and having a working spreadsheet. I anticipate that I'll need a week to write everything out from here.

 

[cristo]

I think you've been given more than enough advice, so it's time to close this thread.