Comments on: Engaging the Public in Poverty Knowledge Research

By: Kidan

Kidan — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 14:48:07 +0000

Hi Valerie, thanks for the comment. I agree with promoting an understanding of the scientific method and writing. First, I think it’s a great idea you have to promote this at all levels of educational instruction which would probably make it less intimidating! Academic writing can be so intimidating and hard to understand. I think that goes hand in hand with making the academic intellectualism more approachable. If people have a general grasp of research, they are definitely less likely to read an academic article that potentially misuses data and a lot more likely to read it, call out the mishaps, question the research, maybe write a response, and ultimately, engage in a conversation with the research which is the point!

By: Valerie

Valerie — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 13:29:15 +0000

Kidan, I hope you’re right that this would be effective, because I agree academics should be doing all the things you mention. Unfortunately, it seems as though people grab statistics out of context that fit the view they’ve already formed. Some additional answers lie with promoting understanding of the scientific method at all levels of education and integrating writing instruction into education in research disciplines. Having read plenty of horrendous neuroscience and psychology primary articles in my time, I tend to think that academic writing is more a reflection of bad writing in general rather than deliberate obfuscation. In any case, you’ve made a lot of good and necessary points here!