Could Distributed Peer Review Better Decide Grant Funding?
The landscape of academic grant funding is notoriously competitive and plagued by lengthy, bureaucratic processes, exacerbated by difficulties in finding willing reviewers. Distributed […]
Tamiflu and the Ethics of the British Medical Journal
No one expected Tamiflu to be a wonder drug, but indications are that it’s moderately useful in fighting a serious public health threat. But that message was lost last week in an ill-starred rush to beat up on ‘wicked’ Big Pharma, argues Robert Dingwall.
The Less Shocking Reality of Milgram’s Experiments
In synthesizing the results of many of Stanley Milgram’s obedience trial experiments, modern-day researchers find the scary takeaways that have long accompanied the work don’t really hold up as strongly as once assumed..
Publication Ethics and Biomedical Imperialism
Applying ethics to social science research can raise as many issues as it answers. A new set of guidelines on which Robert DIngwall consulted gives clarity in some cases like manipulation of images and duplicate publication but leaves some other controversies unsettled.
Snooping Professor, Friendly Don? The Ethics of Learning Analytics
Where should we draw the line between normal data gathering about university students–with the intent of helping them, of course–and outright intrusiveness?
The Ethics of Impact
Back in the summer, John Holmwood, the current BSA President, sent me an email about impact and research ethics. Various contingencies have […]
The Nonresponse Challenge to Surveys and Statistics
Survey researchers are increasingly unable to get people to respond to surveys. This is a real worry because nonresponse can lead to biased research and because nonresponse poses a significant threat to the federal statistical system in its entirety.
The BBC, North Korea and the Culture of Impunity
The controversy over BBC journalists’ use of a student tour group linked to the London School of Economics should not be allowed to go away quietly.
Please – Not a Heroic Impact Narrative
Recently I’ve seen a lot of hero/heroine narratives. They now seem to be popping up in research impact plans and claims about impact.
