Comments on: What’s really at stake here? Publish or Perish? Or something more?

By: A1 targets « Tom Van Hout

A1 targets « Tom Van Hout — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:18:50 +0000

[...] The golden standard in academia is the number of A1 publications your resume boasts. While the debate about the merits, limits and dangers of the publish-or-perish culture rages on, one thing is for [...]

By: Sol

Sol — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 19:31:03 +0000

Science blogs are usually interesting and informative. The problem is that there is no standard validation process or accountability, particularly for the comments. This can lead to pranks and bad science.

Case in point: people here are quick to agree with this noted, talented, famous, and non-existent Dr. Jay Whitlow, but google can find no mention of him before “eric y.” started talking him up in blog comments.

It’s all very amusing, but given the sorry state of scientific literacy, it only adds to the cloud of disinformation on the internet.

By: Ethyl

Ethyl — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 05:23:31 +0000

Dr. Jay Whitlow,

I have read your anthropology blog and agree that often it is better to blog than to publish. For peer reviewed journals it can take up to two years to get through the process but blogging is instant. Some topics that are timely but might not be “fashionable” in a couple years will not be considered by the better anthropologist, Dr. Jay Whitlow. So these topics will be the concerns of the worst anthropologist. If talented anthropologists such as Dr. Jay Whitlow were to blog more then the worst anthropologist will not have a voice.
Keep up the good work eric y.

By: Marysol

Marysol — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 19:17:37 +0000

This is precisely why I read the blogs in this website. They inform me about what is going on in the world of science using a more simple vocabulary. Also, blogs sometimes fill the void that newspapers leave behind.

By: brandelion

brandelion — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 21:36:39 +0000

I like seeing science blogs – they do help to bridge the gap between the general public and science, because science bloggers are coming from both worlds. Simplifying verbiage, and getting to the point with more pith. Somebody has to pick up the slack for the paltry mainstream media efforts. I’m glad there are people stepping up to fill this need.

By: Kambiz

Kambiz — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 18:39:08 +0000

Eric, Dr. Whitlow has definitely given you some sound advice.

Blogging has a lot of benefits. Like you said and I said, it helps those of us without solid writing skills. Throughout the years, I’ve seen a dramatic change for the better in regards to my typos, grammatical errors, and writing style. I attribute the time and practice spent writing in this blog to that beneficial change.

Also, I see the informality of blogging as a critical asset to counterbalance the complexity in current science communication. It is often refreshing to break wordy statements into plain English, it not only helps others (hopefully), but it helps me because I reword it into something I understand.

Dr. Whitlow has picked up on these benefits, I feel. And I commend him on that and you for sharing with us why you blog. I hope more people will come to blogging for these reasons.

By: eric y

eric y — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 17:16:16 +0000

Why I Blog by Eric Y

I was encouraged to blog by my good friend and noted anthropologist, Dr. Jay Whitlow. I think you will find more information on him as the site listed above. Dr. Jay Whitlow told me that short of falling into the maniacal rut of publishing, I should try the art of blogging as way to practice both my keyboarding skills and my creative writing abilities. “Publish or perish” indeed! As recommended by Dr. Whitlow I find blogging definitely more rewarding than joining the race to promotion through publishing.