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Exactly, this is why a science reporter always has to talk to the researcher and look at the paper in question. Alexander Hellemans On Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:14 +0100, "Chris Stokes" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > I'm glad someone has pointed this out. Arguing that all media releases > must be signed off by the scientist(s) behind the story is nice and > simple and may work most times, but it is not a silver bullet. Caveat > scriptor. > > ________________________________ > > From: dianne stilwell > > [...] There's been many a time I've had a release for final checking and > have asked "so what does that mean?' to be told that the scientist > insisted on that particular phrase - and that the writer didn't really > understand it - but had included it for the sake of a quiet life/get the > thing written etc. At that point you can: > > - leave it - and risk the sorts of misunderstandings that sparked the > present correspondence > - re-write with more explanation - leaving in the phrase to satisfy the > scientist and making it a bit long and wordy - but hopefully more > understandable > - insist on a rewrite, removing the complex phrase and with the manager > perhaps going head to head with the scientist > > The options chosen will obviously vary from place to place and person to > person - and a lot will depend on the authority and standing of the comms > team within an organisation. If their status is lowly and they are just > seen as press release machines (and it sounds as if Alison has had a > particularly bad experience) then there's not much chance that an > individual release can be changed - the problems goes deeper and is far > more a management issue. > > Dianne > > ********************************************************************** > 1. To suspend yourself from the list, whilst on leave, for example, > send an email to mailto:[log in to unmask] with the following > message: > > set psci-com nomail -- [include hyphens] > > 2. To resume email from the list, send an email to > [log in to unmask] with the message: > > set psci-com mail -- [include hyphens] > > 3. To leave psci-com, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the > message: > > leave psci-com -- [include hyphens] > > 4. Further information about the psci-com discussion list, including list > archive, can be found at the list web site: > http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/psci-com.html > > 5. The psci-com gateway to internet resources on science communication > and science and society can be found at http://psci-com.ac.uk > > 6. To contact the Psci-com list owner, please send an email to > mailto:[log in to unmask] > ********************************************************************** > ********************************************************************** 1. To suspend yourself from the list, whilst on leave, for example, send an email to mailto:[log in to unmask] with the following message: set psci-com nomail -- [include hyphens] 2. To resume email from the list, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the message: set psci-com mail -- [include hyphens] 3. To leave psci-com, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the message: leave psci-com -- [include hyphens] 4. Further information about the psci-com discussion list, including list archive, can be found at the list web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/psci-com.html 5. The psci-com gateway to internet resources on science communication and science and society can be found at http://psci-com.ac.uk 6. To contact the Psci-com list owner, please send an email to mailto:[log in to unmask] **********************************************************************