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2011年，宋老师关于中国经济转型和增长的合作论文Growing like China发表于经济学顶级期刊American Economics Review，截止今日在google scholar的引用已接近1500次，成为研究中国经济方面非常重要的一篇文献。在这之后，宋铮教授又在American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics、Journal of Political Economy等期刊上发表了一系列关于中国经济转型和中国金融结构的文章。以下是宋铮教授分享的关于博士期间Job Market Paper以及工作之后论文的创作心得和经验。 好的研究不必一步到位 A high-quality research does not have to be done in one step 经常有同学问我怎样才能做出好的研究。之前没有仔细想过这个问题，所以总是回答得支支吾吾。这次秦雨和李明的公众号给我出了个类似的题目，我好好想了想，写了几点感想。 Students often ask me how to produce high-quality research. I haven't thought about this question carefully before, so the answer is always hesitating. This time Qin Yu and Li Ming’s Wechat blog invited me to give answer to a similar topic. I thought about it carefully and wrote a few thoughts. 最主要的感想是不必一步到位。不同阶段可以有不同目标，某些阶段即使没有完成心中的目标也可以重新开始。对博士生来说，最重要的是写一篇好的job market paper (以下简称JMP)。对于常任轨上的青年学者，最重要的是能有好的发表。对于长聘学者，更重要的是能做出让自己满意甚至有影响力的学术成果。这些目标当然也可以一致。一篇优秀的JMP大概率可以有好的发表，也可以很有影响力，我们身边并不缺少这样的例子。但是，大多数人做不到“年少成名“，循序渐进甚至”大器晚成“也都是光明大道。 The main point I want to make is that it does not have to be done in one step. A scholar can have different goals at different stages, and some stages can be restarted even without the completion of the goal in mind. For PhD students, the most important thing is to write a good job market paper (JMP). For junior scholars on tenure track, the most important thing is to have good publications. For tenured scholars, the most important thing is to produce research outputs that are satisfactory and even impactful. Of course, these goals may not contradict with each other. An excellent job market paper is very likely to be published in top journals, and it can also be very impactful. There is no shortage of such examples around us. However, most scholars cannot “become famous when they are young”. Gradual progression or even “late bloomer” is also a bright way to success. 博士期间的JMP The JMP of a PhD student 先来讲讲博士期间的JMP。一个有趣的想法，加上技术性比较强的分析，就足够在纸上展现你的研究能力，帮你拿到心仪的面试机会。容易被同学们忽视的是在纸外的功夫。一个有趣的想法不一定是有意义的想法，技术水平高的分析也不一定就是合理的分析。但是，只要你有足够的学术格局和底蕴，认识到存在的问题，提出可能的解决方案，在面试和job talk的时候就不会太吃亏。好的学术机构在招聘的时候不会只看JMP，应聘者的综合学术潜力才是最最重要的。过于辩护自己的JMP可能会适得其反。 Firstly, let me talk about the job market paper of a PhD student. An interesting idea, coupled with a relatively strong technical analysis would be sufficient to demonstrate your research ability on paper and help you secure your favorite job interviews. What could be easily overlooked by students is the “kung fu” beyond the paper. An interesting idea may not be a meaningful idea, and a skillful technical analysis may not be a reasonable analysis. However, as long as you have the vision and accumulation for academic research, acknowledge the existing problems and propose possible solutions, you will not suffer too much during interviews and job talks. Good academic institutions will not only look at the JMP when recruiting job candidates. The overall academic potential of the applicant is the most important. Defending your JMP too much may backfire. 常任轨的发表 Publications during the tenure track 然后就是常任轨上的发表。好的JMP和好的发表之间没有充分和必要关系。找工作的时候可以同一时间大撒网，只要找到喜欢你的人和地方就可以了，不必太在意不喜欢你的人和地方。但是，在常任轨上投稿的机会不会太多。每次投稿前都要充分重视各种批评意见。温和的批评相对容易接受，但面对存在竞争关系的同行和有些自以为是的审稿人，选择忽略他们的批评是我们的本能。其实，反思那些尖酸刻薄的批评往往能让我们把故事讲得更好，论证更加严密，通过吹毛求疵的审稿过程的机会也就越高。 Secondly, let me talk about publications during the tenure track. There is no sufficient and necessary relationship between a good JMP and a good publication. When you are looking for a job, you can cast a wide net. Just find people and places that like you. Don’t worry too much about people and places that don’t like you. However, there will not be too many opportunities to submit your paper during the tenure clock. Every time you submit a manuscript, you should pay full attention to all kinds of criticisms. Mild criticism is relatively easy to accept. However, when facing competing peers and some self-righteous reviewers, it is our instinct to ignore their criticism. In fact, reflections on those harsh criticisms often help us to tell a better story, make a more rigorous argument, and have a higher chance of passing the critical review process. 如果工作找得不算顺利，或者自己对JMP有点失望，其实没多大问题，完全可以在常任轨上重新开始，这样的例子也有很多（包括我自己）。当然，由于时间比较紧张，如何选择新的题目就变得更加重要。相比博士生，常任轨上的学者可以有更大的学术格局和学术自由，可以更加批判地思考选题的学术价值。不要盲从时下的学术热点，更不要受自己博士训练的局限。应当多想想我们需要但却缺乏的研究。如果必要，甚至可以从头学起。我现在用到的大多数工具都是在博士毕业后学到的。 If the job search is not smooth, or if you are a bit disappointed with your JMP, it is not a big deal. You can start from the beginning on your tenure track position. There are many examples of such cases (including myself). Of course, because of time constraint, how to choose a new topic becomes even more important. Compared with PhD students, tenure track scholars could have a bigger vision and academic freedom, and could think more critically about the academic value of a research topic. Do not blindly follow current academic hot topics, let alone be limited by your own doctoral training. Think more about the research we need but lack. If necessary, you can even learn from scratch. Most of the tools I use now are learned after I obtained my PhD. 挑选新的研究项目，往往也是在寻找合作伙伴。合作者的互补性很重要，但志同道合也同样重要。顺境的时候能够相互批评，再接再厉。逆境的时候能够相互鼓励，知难而上。事业刚起步的时候，跟导师或前辈合作的确是条捷径，不仅可以向他们学习，而且也有助于发表。但是，遇到比较强势的合作者，如果一味跟从他们的研究方向，就可能沦为高级研究助理。所以，在合作中最好能明确并保持属于自己的研究特色。 Choosing new research projects is often looking for coauthors. The complementarity of coauthors is important, but like-mindedness is equally important. Coauthors can criticize each other in good times and encourage each other in times of adversity. When you are just starting your career, it is a shortcut to work with your advisor or seniors. Not only can you learn from them, but it can also help you publish. However, if you encounter a relatively dominant coauthor, you may become a senior research assistant if you simply follow their research direction. Therefore, it is best to clarify and maintain your own research style in the collaboration. 长聘之后 After getting tenured 拿到长聘后，如果工资还能维持一个不错的生活，好的发表就不应该是你的首要目标。这时的你，如果还做不出让自己满意的成果，恐怕连借口也很难找到。我相信大多数的长聘学者都有很高的学术价值和社会价值标准，让自己满意并不是个可以随意自欺的目标，这是很多长聘学者依然奋斗在学术前沿的重要原因。能让长聘学者自己满意的研究当然更有可能是有影响力的研究。但是，让自己满意和有影响力之间也没有充分和必要关系。“生在庐山中”的人们不见得认同“庐山研究”的价值，这是整个社会科学的客观规律，也是我们需要长聘制度的一个原因。多做些让自己满意的孤独探索，不要刻意追求所谓的影响力，不就是长聘学者存在的理由吗？ After getting tenured, if your salary can help you maintain a good life, top publication should not be your primary goal. At this time point, if you still cannot produce satisfactory research outputs, it may be difficult to find an excuse. I believe that most tenured scholars have high academic value and social value standards. Satisfying oneself is not a goal that can be deceived at will. This is an important reason why many tenured scholars still strive to be at the forefront of academics. Research that satisfies tenured scholars is certainly more likely to be impactful research. However, there is no sufficient and necessary relationship between satisfying oneself and being impactful. People “born in Lushan” do not necessarily agree with the value of “Lushan research”. This is the objective law of social sciences and probably one of the reasons why we need the tenure system. Do more independent explorations to satisfy yourself, and do not deliberately pursue the so-called “impact”. Isn’t that the reason to justify the tenured system? 研究心得分享系列： |
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