On 26 Jul 10, at 10:14, Chris Stokes 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.
This is certainly a problem for a scientifically literate editor charged with turning into prose fit for human consumption the collected contributions of a number of experts on a particular subject. The editor can produce a most elegant text – and one that is accurate, given the quality of the input material – only to see it mangled once the original authors get their hands on the edited copy less than 24 hours before the publication deadline, and insist on changes based on their last minute reflections.
Silver bullets are magical constructions.
Francis
--
Dr Francis Sedgemore
journalist and science writer
telephone: +44 7840 191336
website: sedgemore.com
**********************************************************************
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]
**********************************************************************
|