New researchers and research students are often mystified or frustrated by contradictions between the mystique and ideals of doctoral education and academic research vs. their more mundane realities. Mentors may or may not feel it appropriate to clue students or new researchers in early in their work, and may or may not themselves believe the traditional wisdoms which are supposed to be taught in place of the less idealized advice given here. I may be wrong in some cases, but you should be the judge. (Note also that I am not speaking more specifically of my own work, career, publishers, journals, or university than of any others, but from observation of many cases over the years.)
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