Editing 1805: Unpublished Discoveries
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | + | {{incomplete|What does the title "Unpublished Discoveries" mean to science, is Ponytail right? And what does it mean to tax rebates?}} | |
− | This is | + | This is one of those comics where the reading of the title text is mandatory for understanding the entire pun -- rather than giving an additional joke -- because it reveals what's on the computer screen. |
− | + | [[Ponytail]] walks up to [[Megan]], and makes the observation that when a scientific discovery is made, it then takes a while to publish it. She then goes on to note that there are probably research teams making {{w|Nobel Prize|"Nobel-Prize-worthy"}} discoveries that have simply not been published. She is obviously curious if Megan is working on something like this, and tries to see what Megan is working on. When that fails, she asks Megan what she is doing, who tells her that she isn't the one working on a project like this and to "Go bother someone else." | |
− | In the title text, Megan | + | In the first two panels, [[Ponytail]] is referring to the general issue that, to publish a discovery on a scientific topic, it can take a very long time, even when the discovery is [http://www.preposterousuniverse.com/blog/2005/09/16/einstein-vs-physical-review/ "Nobel-Prize-worthy"]. Obviously the first step is for the researcher to summarize the discovery into a readable format, which can take considerable time by itself {{Citation needed}}. Next the article needs to be submitted to various journals [http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=1888 until one accepts], which may take a few months by itself, and even when accepted it can take anywhere from 25 days to 150+ days just for the paper to be processed through the publishing system [http://www.nature.com/news/does-it-take-too-long-to-publish-research-1.19320 due to various reasons], including [http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1200 the nature of the publishing process], [http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=1760 reviewers] [http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=538 assigning extra work as conditions for acceptance], or even [http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=178 formatting problems]. This has prompted researchers to come up with some [http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=926 interesting] [http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=581 work-arounds]. |
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+ | In the title text, Megan reveals that she is trying to convert an emailed {{w|tax form}} to a PDF. She sarcastically states that this is in the running for a Nobel Prize, perhaps because she considers it an incredibly difficult task. While this could be true, this task is in no way connected to any kind of scientific endeavor, and as a result would never be considered for any Nobel Prize. That this is so is officially acknowledged by {{w|IRS}} as they themselves notices that saving and printing their [https://www.irs.com/articles/online-tax-forms Online tax forms] could be tricky. | ||
+ | Or it is possible that she is preparing to receive the tax form from the Nobel Prize committee if she wins. | ||
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+ | Quote: | ||
:'''Fill-In Tax Forms''' | :'''Fill-In Tax Forms''' | ||
:''The IRS also offers Free Fillable Forms which allow you to save (and print) the information you’ve typed in online. The fill-in tax forms also require Adobe Acrobat Reader software. To save the data you’ve filled in, use the Adobe Reader’s “Save” function (not the web browser’s “Save” function). ...'' | :''The IRS also offers Free Fillable Forms which allow you to save (and print) the information you’ve typed in online. The fill-in tax forms also require Adobe Acrobat Reader software. To save the data you’ve filled in, use the Adobe Reader’s “Save” function (not the web browser’s “Save” function). ...'' | ||
− | The months and weeks before April 15th (this comic was released | + | The months and weeks before April 15th (this comic was released March 1st), is the "tax season" in the US so Americans are in the process of completing their tax forms, which is why this comic is timely. |
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==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
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:Ponytail: I promise I won't tell. | :Ponytail: I promise I won't tell. | ||
:Megan: Shoo! Go bother someone else. | :Megan: Shoo! Go bother someone else. | ||
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+ | ==Trivia== | ||
+ | *In [[1067: Pressures]] Ponytail is also interested in what Megan is finding out, although at least in that comic there was a reason to believe Megan could have been on to something... | ||
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} |