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Science relies on constructive criticism. Here’s how to keep it useful and respectful – Science (William A. Cunningham | March 2021)

Posted by Dr Gary Allen in Research Integrity on April 6, 2021
Keywords: Peer review, Research integrity, Research results, Researcher responsibilities

The Linked Original Item was Posted On March 24, 2021

A full manilla folder with the words "Test Results" written on the tab

“All models are wrong, but some are useful.”
—George Box

Box’s quote reflects a deep and uncomfortable truth about science: None of our ideas are perfect, which means they are all destined to be questioned, reinterpreted, and potentially discarded. Although this is the very process that often makes science better in the battlefield of ideas—with the best ideas presumably winning out—it is also one that can generate anxiety and unpleasantness for everyone involved.

A useful discussion about a constructive approach to our work, feedback and the feedback we give others.  We have included links to six related items.

Nearly a decade ago, Wil learned that one of his lab’s studies was going to be repeated by another research group. He had an initial wave of panic. The original findings seemed solid, if imperfect, and followed logically from the literature. But he could not rid himself of the nagging feeling: What if the results failed to replicate? What would this mean for his scientific reputation, the careers of his students, and the ideas gained from the work?

He needn’t have worried—the findings were replicated—but his feelings demonstrate how sometimes we as scientists become personally attached to our work and disengaged from the ideals of a dispassionate, objective researcher. Although criticism is the lifeblood of scientific progress, we are ultimately humans who respond emotionally when we feel that our work is under scrutiny or attack.

Science relies on constructive criticism. Here’s how to keep it useful and respectful
“Remember that you are talking to a human with real emotions,” our Letters to Young Scientists columnists write

 

Related Reading

Kindness alone won’t improve the research culture – Nature (Julie Gould | December 2020)

Don’t be a prig in peer review

Copyright, Creative Commons, and Confusion – Scholarly Kitchen (Robert Harington | April 2020)

Kinder publishing practices should become the new normal – Times Higher Education (Phil Emmerson | April 2020)

A Beginner’s Guide to the Peer Review System – GradHacker (Carolyn Trietsch | January 2019)

Kinder Peer Review – Scientists Are Humans (Dr Rebecca Kirk | November 2018)

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