This course explores the external forces impacting scientific research, including biases and pressures faced by scientists. Participants discuss topics such as confirmation bias, grant writing, scientific publishing, and reproducibility. The course aims to highlight the challenges scientists encounter in upholding the ideals of unbiased scientific exploration. The intended audience includes individuals interested in understanding the complexities of the scientific research process and the factors influencing scientific outcomes. The teaching method involves expert discussions moderated by a science journalist.
Science in the Hands of Scientists - The Meandering Path Toward Truth
World Science Festival via YouTube
Overview
Syllabus
- Participant Introduction
- How do students learn to be scientists?
- Confirmation bias
- What is the job market like for new scientists?
- Confirmation bias and metricization in journalism
- Federal funding decline and impact on labs
- Role of publishing's effect on science
- The process of grant writing in science
- The influence of grants on conducted science
- Scientists lobbying Congress for funding
- How research funding in the US is different from the rest of the world
- What is Retraction Watch and scientific retraction?
- Falsification
- Structure of scientific paper
- Replicating other scientists work
- Importance of citation
- Are journalists the problem with science?
- What do scientists think about journalists
- Is scientific truth relative?
- Is there a way to incentivize the reproduction of scientific work?
- How important is the discussion section on a paper?
Taught by
World Science Festival
