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11/08/2003
Royal Society launches probe into research results
An investigation into the ways in which the results of scientific research are made public has been launched today by the Royal Society.
The probe has been prompted, says the society, by a "number of controversies" surrounding how and when scientists communicate their research results to the public, and whether scientists should check each other’s work before it is published.
A working group, chaired by Professor Sir Patrick Bateson, Vice-President of the Royal Society, and including members from the fields of consumer affairs, journalism, scientific publishing and academic and industrial science, has today issued a call for evidence to encourage submissions by the end of September about the strengths and weaknesses of current practices by researchers in communicating their results, and possible alternatives.
Sir Patrick said: “The results of scientific research can have quite profound effects on public opinion and policy, so it is important that scientists practise the highest standards of professionalism and integrity when communicating their results.
"At present, scientists rely almost exclusively on the practice of peer review, in which other experts check the quality of their results, analysis and interpretation before they are made public, as a safeguard against the communication of poorly conducted research.”
The working group will consider criticisms of the process of peer review and examine ways in which it might be improved. It will also investigate whether there are any alternatives to peer review for checking the quality of research results.
Sir Patrick added: “Peer review has been criticised for being too secretive, conducted behind closed doors and assessed by anonymous referees. It has also been suggested that it provides a way in which the establishment can prevent unorthodox ideas, methods and views, regardless of their merit, from being made public. We want to see if any evidence supports such a claim.”
(gmcg)
The probe has been prompted, says the society, by a "number of controversies" surrounding how and when scientists communicate their research results to the public, and whether scientists should check each other’s work before it is published.
A working group, chaired by Professor Sir Patrick Bateson, Vice-President of the Royal Society, and including members from the fields of consumer affairs, journalism, scientific publishing and academic and industrial science, has today issued a call for evidence to encourage submissions by the end of September about the strengths and weaknesses of current practices by researchers in communicating their results, and possible alternatives.
Sir Patrick said: “The results of scientific research can have quite profound effects on public opinion and policy, so it is important that scientists practise the highest standards of professionalism and integrity when communicating their results.
"At present, scientists rely almost exclusively on the practice of peer review, in which other experts check the quality of their results, analysis and interpretation before they are made public, as a safeguard against the communication of poorly conducted research.”
The working group will consider criticisms of the process of peer review and examine ways in which it might be improved. It will also investigate whether there are any alternatives to peer review for checking the quality of research results.
Sir Patrick added: “Peer review has been criticised for being too secretive, conducted behind closed doors and assessed by anonymous referees. It has also been suggested that it provides a way in which the establishment can prevent unorthodox ideas, methods and views, regardless of their merit, from being made public. We want to see if any evidence supports such a claim.”
(gmcg)
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