From time to time examples of scientific fraud come to light and raise questions about the integrity of scientific endeavour. The most well-known example of recent years must surely be South Korean stem cell biologist Hwang Woo-Suk, whose ground-breaking discoveries in the field of therapeutic cloning were exposed as bogus (In addition to his science [...]
November 9, 2009
Categories: ethics, paper review, plagiarism, research ethics, science . Tags: Daniele Fanelli, fabrication, falsification, fraud, Hendrik Schon, Horizon, Hwang Woo-Suk, misconduct, research ethics, research integrity, scientific fraud . Author: Chris Willmott . Comments: 1 Comment
If you have not yet read Ben Goldacre’s book Bad Science, then I thoroughly recommend that you do. As readers of his regular Guardian column or his website will already know, Goldacre has embarked on a campaign to root out example of pseudoscience and shoddy science whereever they may be found.
All the usual villians are [...]
September 11, 2009
Categories: book review, critical thinking, education, information literacy, research ethics, science, teaching . Tags: Bad Science, Ben Goldacre, blinding, Guardian, Hawthorne effect, homeopathy, how science works, nutritionists, randomisation, statistics, study skills, systematic review, trial design . Author: Chris Willmott . Comments: 1 Comment
Back in 2004, Sir David King (at the time, the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser) initiated a discussion about generating a Code of Conduct for Scientists. The consultation process led, in 2006, to the publication of Rigour, respect and responsibility: a universal ethical code for scientists. None of the contents was particularly surprising or radical but [...]
August 22, 2009
Categories: plagiarism, politics, research ethics, science . Tags: code of conduct, David King, ethics, fabrication, fraud, misconduct, RCUK, research ethics, respect, responsibility, rigour, science . Author: Chris Willmott . Comments: Leave a Comment
The annual Learning and Teaching in the Sciences event at the University of Leicester was held on May 23rd 2007. Three invited speakers brought very different insights into the effective communication of science. This entry focuses specifically on the first of the presentations. Other talks, by Melanie Cooper (Clemson University, USA) and Alan Cann (University [...]
May 29, 2007
Categories: Norman Reid, conference report, education, field dependency, learning, modularisation, pedagogy, pre-learning, research ethics, science, teaching, working memory . . Author: Chris Willmott . Comments: 2 Comments