Question: Working with stars vs. joint-publication

[mbrown0315]

Sorry about flooding the forum...

 

Can anyone out there with grad school experience chime in on the pros and cons of working with established names in the field and of working with up-and-coming scholars?

 

At one school I have the possibility of having some really big academics in sociology advise my work, but I don't know how much access I will really have to these people. They're extremely busy and very well-established.

 

At another school I have the possibility of working with some really smart assistant professors who have expressed an interest in joint-publication.

 

In material terms (getting a job), I think the most important thing with which to come out of a doctoral program is publications, so I'm sort of inclined to work as an RA with the assistant professors if it means more opportunity to publish. Does anyone have any advice to offer on the matter?

 

I hope I'm not coming across as too mercenary on this forum. I'm really excited about living the life of the mind, but a man's gotta eat.

[ak48]

I'm going for electrical engineering, and so I'm not sure how it works in sociology.

 

I have a feeling that many graduate students look to a "star" professor because s/he will have the proper connections/credentials to get you a good job. 

[magicunicorn]

Single author publications at top tier journals (AJS/ASR) are basically the gold standard of getting a job - in fact, you probably just need one and you are set with a T20 placement.  Next are single author publications at other journals.  I've heard that being the second or third named author on an article is a bonus, but its really the former two that matter the most.  (I've also gotten the advice to not get so subsumed in another professor's research that you fail to do your own).  Job search committees for assistant prof jobs are really looking for single author first and foremost - hopefully that helps you sort this out a bit.

[FertMigMort]

Sorry about flooding the forum...

 

Can anyone out there with grad school experience chime in on the pros and cons of working with established names in the field and of working with up-and-coming scholars?

 

At one school I have the possibility of having some really big academics in sociology advise my work, but I don't know how much access I will really have to these people. They're extremely busy and very well-established.

 

At another school I have the possibility of working with some really smart assistant professors who have expressed an interest in joint-publication.

 

In material terms (getting a job), I think the most important thing with which to come out of a doctoral program is publications, so I'm sort of inclined to work as an RA with the assistant professors if it means more opportunity to publish. Does anyone have any advice to offer on the matter?

 

I hope I'm not coming across as too mercenary on this forum. I'm really excited about living the life of the mind, but a man's gotta eat.

I would argue it has more to do with the individual you're working with. I know plenty of established superstars that always publish with their students and make time for them. I also know up-and-coming scholars that are super stingy with authorships. Take a look at the CVs of the people you want to work with and check to see how many papers they write with students. That's a better indicator than their status alone.