A scientist / journalist shares his story of a sting operation on the scientific publishing process with frightening results.
Howard Booth writes:
An interesting sting was done on scientific publishing to show how remarkably easy it is to get published despite doing a poor research project (in this case on purpose). John Bohannon, a PhD chemist and science journalist, was contracted to do a documentary for German television on the poor research in nutrition that produces outlandish claims about diet and dietary supplements. They conspired to create a research study intended to produce fantastic results, and see how often their poor research would get called out through the entire publishing process.
The study had a terrible sample size, poor quality control, and zero peer review. They managed to produce factually correct results that made an outlandish claim, write it up, get it published (with their choice of venues as many offered to pick it up), and get it splashed into the media with virtually no challenge to their methodology. It was picked up by several noteworthy outlets and on track to get picked up by Men’s Health magazine, but no doubt John’s confession of the sting will forestall that.
I know that WUWT is primarily concerned with CAGW, but I thought this was an interesting peek into the terrible state of the scientific publishing process, and the media’s inability to hold scientists accountable.
The full article can be read over at io9
Well CO2AGW itself proves that the entire world of peer reviewed journals can easily be captured by a gang of organized scoundrels.
“….and if I have to redefine what peer-reviewed literature is…” (*)
(*) from a climategate e mail of an unknown warmunist
cnxtim
May 30, 2015 at 2:30 pm
The correlation with “Diet Science” and CAGW is highly appropriate.
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Diabetes harms body and brain.
CAGW alarmism harms bodies and brains, U2.
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Appropriate, thanks for reminding. Hans
“They conspired to create a research study intended to produce fantastic results, and see how often their poor research would get called out through the entire publishing process.”
Psychiatry regularly engages in the advertising of new disorders, for the purpose of selling psych meds. Before my beautiful daughter installed the stupendous, lovely ADBLOCKER on my computer, I actually saw the psych med industry advertising Binge Eating Disorder.
The new DSM for psychiatrists lists even shopping- and internet- addiction as symptoms of disorders, which can be diagnosed and treated with psychotropic drugs. Get up to “speed” on the subject of psychiatric medications here:
http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/the-neuroscience-of-despair
How about this:
Psychiatrists hate her!
[picture of really contented endorphin spiking woman eating chocolate here]
The difficult issue to deal with is not the bad science per se; it is the fact that scientists (at least the majority of them) give a tacit endorsement to a lousy peer-review process because advertisement-type science is useful for fund raising and visibility. We live in a media-controlled society and science is not an exception.
Nobody is giving you money for rigorous but poorly “vendible” (or difficult to communicate to large public) research. This tragedy is happening from the small, University-level grants, to the Nobel prize selection.
I, for one, believe in Scients and it’s degreed hierophants. If a sciency article says dark chocolate is good for you, whom am I to disargue? Its probly true, and I shall continue to consume chocolate in mass quantities, irregardless. The paper was “robust” and stuff. I laughed so hard at this post that I peed. Thus it can be considered pee-er reviewed. Journalism? It’s stinky dead.
Very funny remark on the web at the moment. El Nino is lowering sea levels. Really? Never heard that one before, maybe someone has removed the plug at the bottom of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. I thought sea levels are never constant all through this last warm interglacial. Other than when there is a full moon and tides are effected, ie.Ebb and Spring tides. I can’t remember the exact cause but I think it is about the amount of ice, glaciers and land and sea ice has something to do with it. Being winter now in Oz, it is also winter in Antarctica.