I rarely research anything without a partner. Often more than one. And this has been the case for a very long time. ( Of course I do occasionally research partner-less, but understand that this is not my preferred way to work.) My research partnerships are long-term and involve much more than doing projects. A couple […] … learn more→

Earlier this year I received comments on an academic manuscript of mine as part of the usual peer review process, and noticed something strange. My research focuses on ensuring trustworthy evidence is used to inform policy, practice and decision making. I often collaborate with groups like the World Health Organization to conduct systematic reviews to […] … learn more→

I’ve just finished reviewing a number of research grant applications. One of the things I noticed, and not in a good way, was that writers very often repeated themselves. That is, I not only read the same sentences, but also entire paragraphs and in some instances several paragraphs, in the answers to different questions. Now, […] … learn more→

It’s been a very busy fortnight. I’ve been immersed in a very deep research hangout. So what is a deep research hangout I hear you ask, and why was I in one? Well, even though I am currently in Australia I am still working with a team in England on a big research project looking at the […] … learn more→

America has already lost its global competitive edge in science, and funding cuts proposed in early 2025 may further a precipitous decline. Proposed cuts to the federal agencies that fund scientific research could undercut America’s global competitiveness, with negative impacts on the economy and the ability to attract and train the next generation of researchers. I’m an astronomer, and […] … learn more→

Over the past decade, furtive commercial entities around the world have industrialized the production, sale and dissemination of bogus scholarly research. These paper mills are profiting by undermining the literature that everyone from doctors to engineers rely on to make decisions about human lives. It is exceedingly difficult to get a handle on exactly how big the […] … learn more→

In 2008, Melissa Lucio was sentenced to death for the murder of her two-year-old daughter in Texas. The sentence was postponed until 2022. Forensic linguist Robert Leonard, after analyzing the interrogation of Ms. Lucio and her partner, Mr. Alvarez, determined that techniques were used to induce false confessions. This and other evidence served to stop Lucio’s execution […] … learn more→

As 2SLGBTQIA+ people are increasingly under threat in Canada, and facing escalating dangers from the Donald Trump administration in the United States, more research is urgently needed to understand how to address issues of gender and sexual diversity moving forward. Unfortunately, researchers who aim to explore emerging issues impacting 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and develop interventions to support them are […] … learn more→

I recently came across a researcher who was giving up. No more academia. There were other, better things to do. She had been working as a contract researcher for a long time. It is not uncommon for contract researchers to spend a long time going from contract to contract. However, the researcher who was giving up […] … learn more→

Author order is a pretty self-evident term. It simply describes the order in which authors appear on a publication. Who goes first, second and who is et al. Now author order might also seem like a pretty trivial topic. However, it sadly isn’t. And it might appear to be a straightforward process, but tussling over […] … learn more→