Tag Archives: Peer Review

Identifying good scientists and keeping them honest

In a February 2011 interview with Lab Times, Cambridge scientist Peter Lawrence1 reflects on his own career and complains that “the heart of research is sick” as he charts the changes in the way in which science is pursued.  Briefly, … Continue reading

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CMAJ calls for “new mechanisms to ensure academic integrity”

A while back I posted a link to Retraction Watch, a website that reports on research papers being retracted (e.g., due to the science contained within them being fraudulent). Well, yesterday an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) … Continue reading

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Reducing medical (science) waste: Thinking before doing…

I was sitting down with a group of scientists following a football/soccer game the other day and dropped a bomb into the conversation by asking if people thought cancer research got too much money.  Nobody, myself included, disputed the obvious … Continue reading

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New Metrics for Assessing Scientists: Let’s Accessorize

Quick Hit: Paul Krzyzanowski, another post doctoral fellow who writes for the Stem Cell Network blog just posted The underused academic in which he discusses funding levels of Canadian postdoctoral fellows and the balance of funding International imports vs. Canadian … Continue reading

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“Questionable” Projects: Does the public have the answer?

The other day, this article from Live Science was brought to our attention: “Republicans Call for Public Scrutiny of NSF grants”  http://www.livescience.com/culture/etc/101201-republicans-call-for-public-scrutiny-nsf.html From the article: Republican Majority Leader-Elect Eric Cantor (R-VA) is asking citizens to choose their own cuts to … Continue reading

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New Metrics for Assessing Scientists: Collaboration Networks

Two of the most common complaints heard over coffee in medical science labs and the source of much mental anguish are 1) “Is there any hope in getting a Cell, Science or Nature paper” followed by 2) “Does my career … Continue reading

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Perception, Power and Principles: Human induced climate change and why people have trouble accepting the science

***Quick Hit: The CAPS petition to maintain the competitiveness of a postdoctoral research career in Canada is up to 1750 signatures. For more information on why this petition has been written, read my last post and visit the CAPS website. … Continue reading

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Quarterly Summary – Trying to make sense of it all

So, in the wake of a very busy December, I realize that we only registered two blog entries this month – a noticeable drop from November’s eleven. But this is the realistic way forward if we want to tackle these issues with the time and energy they deserve, as these “issues affecting trainees” underpin many of the important decisions that are made in an academic career and give decision makers a sense of what trainees are thinking. It’s a lot of information though and in recognition of everyone else being busy as well, I thought a quarterly summary of highlights would be a good idea. Continue reading

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Say NO to the Second Post Doc!

After an undergraduate and doctorate, medical science trainees need to undertake post doctoral training before being granted a faculty position. After this round of training, however, many are going on to a second and even a third round of “post-doc’ing” … this blog entry asks why we do this and encourages science trainees to stop after the first PDF and do a major evaluation… Continue reading

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Peer Review and Publishing – the best of the worst?

Peer Review and Publishing – the best of the worst?
A look at the peer review system and the idea that anonymity of reviewers is an idea of the past. Continue reading

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