Ecoclimber
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http://www.nature.com/news/research-integrity-don-t-let-transparency-damage-science-1.19219
Research integrity: Don't let transparency damage science
Transparency has hit the headlines. In the wake of evidence that many research findings are not reproducible1, the scientific community has launched initiatives to increase data sharing, transparency and open critique. As with any new development, there are unintended consequences. Many measures that can improve science2 — shared data, post-publication peer review and public engagement on social media — can be turned against scientists.
Endless information requests, complaints to researchers' universities, online harassment, distortion of scientific findings and even threats of violence: these were all recurring experiences shared by researchers from a broad range of disciplines at a Royal Society-sponsored meeting last year that we organized to explore this topic. Orchestrated and well-funded harassment campaigns against researchers working in climate change and tobacco control are well documented3, 4. Some hard-line opponents to other research, such as that on nuclear fallout, vaccination, chronic fatigue syndrome or genetically modified organisms, although less resourced, have employed identical strategies.
I noticed three observation:
1. Most of the articles demonizing patinets are generated from the U.K. researchers and the news media.
2. Under previous Candanian PM Harper Tory Government, researchers and scientists were stifled, careers were threatened if they spoke out against any scientific research that was in opposition to the Tory govt 's policy.This leads to the assumption that UK Tory govt. policy is stifling anyone that speaks out against govt. policy and rewards those that speak in favor of govt. policy especially involving the UK. austerity program.
Does anyone want to comment on this?
Research integrity: Don't let transparency damage science
Transparency has hit the headlines. In the wake of evidence that many research findings are not reproducible1, the scientific community has launched initiatives to increase data sharing, transparency and open critique. As with any new development, there are unintended consequences. Many measures that can improve science2 — shared data, post-publication peer review and public engagement on social media — can be turned against scientists.
Endless information requests, complaints to researchers' universities, online harassment, distortion of scientific findings and even threats of violence: these were all recurring experiences shared by researchers from a broad range of disciplines at a Royal Society-sponsored meeting last year that we organized to explore this topic. Orchestrated and well-funded harassment campaigns against researchers working in climate change and tobacco control are well documented3, 4. Some hard-line opponents to other research, such as that on nuclear fallout, vaccination, chronic fatigue syndrome or genetically modified organisms, although less resourced, have employed identical strategies.
I noticed three observation:
1. Most of the articles demonizing patinets are generated from the U.K. researchers and the news media.
2. Under previous Candanian PM Harper Tory Government, researchers and scientists were stifled, careers were threatened if they spoke out against any scientific research that was in opposition to the Tory govt 's policy.This leads to the assumption that UK Tory govt. policy is stifling anyone that speaks out against govt. policy and rewards those that speak in favor of govt. policy especially involving the UK. austerity program.
Does anyone want to comment on this?
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