Saturday, January 3, 2015

Retraction Watch

Unfortunately, bad science is often quickly exploited by the main stream media by "journalists" out to get that scoop.  Not many are around when is is discovered these reporters "jumped the gun" and failed due diligence (think Rolling Stones or Dr. Oz, for example). 
http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/a-rape-on-campus-20141119
http://www.inquisitr.com/1555143/dr-oz-magic-weight-loss-cure-diet-pill-study-was-bogus-researchers-reveal/

A good follow-up source is the blog Retraction Watch.  Here is what Physics World had to say about it.
If you have ever had your results plagiarized, or spent months trying to reproduce someone else’s unsound work, then you will appreciate Retraction Watch‘s efforts at bringing sunshine into a murky area of research. If, in contrast, you were the one at the business end of a retraction, reading this blog will reassure you that you are almost certainly not the worst researcher ever. But even if you have never had any personal experience with retracting a paper, you should still read Retraction Watch for its fascinating insight into a world that no good scientist ever wants to enter.

No comments:

Post a Comment