An MA student writes:
Two questions (one general, one specific) regarding publishing at the terminal-Masters graduate level.
(1) Is it possible and encouraged to publish as a terminal-Masters graduate student?
(2) If one's first journal publication is in their secondary area of interest (e.g., say one publishes in ethics or aesthetics while their primary AOI is in philosophy of chemistry) would this in any way complicate their chances at admission into a PhD program whose strengths were in one's primary AOI?
My own views are: (1) there is no need to publish as an MA student, and it is probably not wise to invest energy in that as opposed to learning as much philosophy as possible and polishing written work to use in graduate applications; (2) I don't think it matters at all. If one publishes a good piece of philosophy (and that's an important *if*), it will count in your favor regardless of your interests. Thoughts from others?
