# Writing PhD Papers ''For Fun'' ..



## Catwalk (Aug 12, 2015)

How _common_, would you say, this is .. (?) *Anyone else* writing a PhD paper for fun (or any paper). 

I am writing a PhD paper for fun; soon after I will release a blog _containing_ ideas, thought(s) + writing(s) - that I would like to, for 'fun' transform in _similar_ fashion.

________________________________________

To the _original_ question, anyone ever write // take curiosity in writing a PhD paper for either ''fun,'' or as required .. (?) I am not at this level (via) my prime studies (&) thus, get_ impatient_ (via) repetition + boredom of necessary paperwork - thus, need to do / do not mind doing ''more'', in the meantime or on the side. [Timespan] is irrelevant insofar as this will be done in my leisure. 

*Tips* .. (?)


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## Orion (Jan 25, 2011)

Minx said:


> How _common_, would you say, this is .. (?) *Anyone else* writing a PhD paper for fun (or any paper).
> 
> I am writing a PhD paper for fun; soon after I will release a blog _containing_ ideas, thought(s) + writing(s) - that I would like to, for 'fun' transform in _similar_ fashion.
> 
> ...


PhD paper? You mean a thesis? No one writes those for fun. If you mean journal articles, then the process of peer review might be problematic. Editors like experimental evidence, not ideas. 

Blogs are not 'PhD papers'.


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## Catwalk (Aug 12, 2015)

Orion said:


> PhD paper? You mean a thesis?


Yes; I know the proper term(s) - ''paper'' feel(s) more innate to utilize.




> No one writes those for fun.


I suppose I'll be ''first'', then.




> Editors like experimental evidence, not ideas.


What is your _point _.. (?) It is leisure activity; to which I feel the need to do for fun + practice.




> Blogs are not 'PhD papers'.


_*No way*_, darling. *No clue* of this. /snort. Perhap(s) I should have not included that sentence; as it was unrelated to my overall point. It will be done in professional fashion [for practice // or enjoyment] regardless. _ Nothing _ else [tip] wise, to contribute then .. (?) I can find it myself, although, I prefer [if any] _outside _ tips.


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## Vahyavishdapaya (Sep 2, 2014)

What's it on? Have you started yet? Which educational institution are you working with?


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## nonnaci (Sep 25, 2011)

Academic publishing is a means of disseminating "peer-reviewed" knowledge and so is biased towards the power-structures that be (grant review boards, conference organizers, ideologies of the field's leaders). This comes from my experience having gone through a PhD program in a STEM field. To do well (get published), you have to play the game by appeasing the particular constraints set by those in the field before your voice can be heard; it's like learning the in-out/lingo of a sub-culture, ensuring certain things are referenced/accounted for/qualified, before others will take you seriously. The result is that successful works tend towards the incremental, adding twigs to existing branches and seldom growing a new trunk. 

Publishing outside of peer-review journals (e.g. arxiv, blogs) is always possible but seldom recognized unless its a pre-print to an established venue. You may be publishing objectively correct information (e.g. a math proof, an algorithm) but don't expect to get a paycheck/grant money at the end of the day.


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## tanstaafl28 (Sep 10, 2012)

Minx said:


> How _common_, would you say, this is .. (?) *Anyone else* writing a PhD paper for fun (or any paper).
> 
> I am writing a PhD paper for fun; soon after I will release a blog _containing_ ideas, thought(s) + writing(s) - that I would like to, for 'fun' transform in _similar_ fashion.
> 
> ...


You can make serious money doing this for others who are too lazy to write their own theses (if your morals are not so scrupulous). I've heard of people making as much as 85-100K a year doing this.


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## Kazuma Ikezawa (Oct 21, 2011)

Minx said:


> How _common_, would you say, this is .. (?) *Anyone else* writing a PhD paper for fun (or any paper).
> 
> I am writing a PhD paper for fun; soon after I will release a blog _containing_ ideas, thought(s) + writing(s) - that I would like to, for 'fun' transform in _similar_ fashion.
> 
> ...


Canibus, is that you?!?!


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## Asmodaeus (Feb 15, 2015)

Writing academic research papers for scholarly journals is one of my favorite forms of entertainment. Occasional lecturing is also quite gratifying in intellectual and professional terms. Both activities are helpful for career advancement and deeply enjoyable for people with inquisitive minds.


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## g_w (Apr 16, 2013)

Minx said:


> How _common_, would you say, this is .. (?) *Anyone else* writing a PhD paper for fun (or any paper).
> 
> I am writing a PhD paper for fun; soon after I will release a blog _containing_ ideas, thought(s) + writing(s) - that I would like to, for 'fun' transform in _similar_ fashion.
> 
> ...


Do a decent lit search in the library to make sure you aren't re-inventing the [square] wheel; or to see if there are any improvements you can make in your topic.


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## GrimKosmo (Jan 9, 2015)

As I understand it a PhD paper is thesis you write in order to be awarded a PhD. So by definition you could only be writing a PhD paper as a post-grad completing original research as a PhD candidate.
Do you mean you are getting a head start on your PhD thesis for fun? Or you are writing a regular research paper for fun?

Either way that's great. There's nothing better than reading a paper that you can tell the author has enjoyed writing. 

Definitely make sure you read as many articles related to your specific research area as you can find; it's important to understand what's already been done, what's been attempted, and what still needs to be done in your field.
Are you submitting your paper for peer-review? Ask a professor if they will read over your paper, it will probably take many drafts and a lot of feedback to arrive at your final copy.

If you enjoy writing your paper, you know you must be in the right field.

Also, I'm not sure if this is the first paper you've written, but if it is, a good place to start is by writing a literature review.


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## Parrot (Feb 22, 2015)

Why wouldn't we take everything you write seriously? Even if you're going about it the wrong way, though. Post it somewhere else, next time, or quit polluting the thread.


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## angelfish (Feb 17, 2011)

In college I ended up writing a small manuscript because a research project of mine accidentally got quite a bit bigger than I intended. I ended up with a little publication with chapters that I donated to our university library. It certainly wasn't of PhD rigor though, nor format - it was more of an educational manual. I do understand the enjoyment and drive in writing like that but I think I would have a difficult time narrowing down and focusing in on a topic academically if I was not already in that milieu due to current studies. 

I would imagine that if you have any local universities, their academics/researchers might be happy to give you a quick email answer to whether a particular topic has already been pursued in depth recently or not. They may have better access to works in the field than is readily available online. It may also be worth looking into some academic journals in the fields you are interested in to keep abreast of progress, if you aren't already subscribed.


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

Sounds masochistic. What are you writing about?
Do you mean a journal article for peer-review or something else like a thesis?
In my field, writing journal articles needs statistic analysis and research with people which usually make them quite hard to do. You usually have to publish 1 article to get the PhD but it's possible to publish a few more if you are very into it. On the contrary, I have a friend who's an engineer and he's already published quite a few, so I think it really depends on your field.


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## Catwalk (Aug 12, 2015)

Icy Heart said:


> Writing academic research papers for scholarly journals is one of my favorite forms of entertainment. Occasional lecturing is also quite gratifying in intellectual and professional terms. Both activities are helpful for career advancement and deeply enjoyable for people with inquisitive minds.


I wish I could lecture as well - the most close I could ever get was _volunteering_ at an activity // community center - that is fine; anyways. It is a psychological catharsis -->_ release_ of the mind [unplugging]. INTJ need this; I am fine with it. ;Shrug;




GrimKosmo said:


> As I understand it a PhD paper is thesis you write in order to be awarded a PhD. So by definition you could only be writing a PhD paper as a post-grad completing original research as a PhD candidate.
> Do you mean you are getting a head start on your PhD thesis for fun? Or you are writing a regular research paper for fun?



I appreciate your response; darling. Very positive + helpful - this is ''exercise,'' + practice - a ''head start,'' that is also fun to me, indeed. I have yet to decide on a topic - so I leave many things unanswered. I will have to have a sufficient opening + free time to begin. 

I will not start until I have all necessary materials + input + sure of what I will do.




> Either way that's great. There's nothing better than reading a paper that you can tell the author has enjoyed writing.


:tongues:



> Definitely make sure you read as many articles related to your specific research area as you can find; it's important to understand what's already been done, what's been attempted, and what still needs to be done in your field.


Indeed; thank you.



> Are you submitting your paper for peer-review? Ask a professor if they will read over your paper, it will probably take many drafts and a lot of feedback to arrive at your final copy.


I am undecided on what I shall do with it; if it pertains to my major - however, I will submit it (do more with it) + publishing, et al, yes. If it is unrelated, then I will have it critiqued + improve // (&) keep it to myself. It is merely something for fun.



> Also, I'm not sure if this is the first paper you've written, but if it is, a good place to start is by writing a literature review.


No; it is not my first. It will unlikely be in my field of study, however -- this is why I suspect it will take a long time to complete.




Red Panda said:


> Sounds masochistic. What are you writing about?


Indeed - I am undecided at this time.



> Do you mean a journal article for peer-review or something else like a thesis?


Mostly thesis.


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## Acrylic (Dec 14, 2015)

Minx said:


> How _common_, would you say, this is .. (?)


As common as a cat mouthing the words "this cat food could use some ice cream"



Minx said:


> I suppose I'll be ''first'', then.


This is why you're so _fucking_ rad.


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## Benny (Oct 18, 2015)

I do enjoy doing research in the fields I'm interested in; just as there is a certain beauty in the mystery of the world, there's a different kind of beauty in the precise logic underlying it - the invisible rules and patterns behind our entire existence. I'm currently only an undergrad and not yet confident of my abilities to make any meaningful contributions to the public sphere, but I'm sure that as my knowledge deepens I'll be more able to conceptualize the questions that still need answering, and if I feel I have the outline of an answer I would naturally want to share it with the world.


In an ideal world I believe that everybody would pursue research out of their own passion for the topic at hand, untainted by concerns about money or their professional career. Indeed, many of the leading academics are extremely passionate and dedicated individuals, and the difference in quality is readily apparent. As other people here have mentioned, it's always a pleasure to read academic papers where the researchers are bubbling with enthusiasm.


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## visionaryspirit (Nov 24, 2014)

Only a type 5 would ever consider doing a PhD paper for "fun"...lol

I considered it before, but haven't got to it yet.


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## Catwalk (Aug 12, 2015)

visionaryspirit said:


> Only a type 5 would ever consider doing a PhD paper for "fun"...lol
> 
> I considered it before, but haven't got to it yet.


I see you are 5w4 -- _imagine _how it feel(s) when you are 5w6. :tongues:


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## bruh (Oct 27, 2015)

Love what you currently learn
By doing so the time will eventually come


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## maryapple (Apr 7, 2015)

Publishing outside of peer-review journals (e.g. arxiv, blogs) is always possible but seldom recognized unless its a pre-print to an established venue.


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