%0 Journal Article
%T Quality and integrity in scientific writing: prerequisites for quality in science communication
%A Marie-Claude Roland
%J JCOM : Journal of Science Communication
%D 2009
%I SISSA, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati
%X Standards and Good Practice guidelines provide explicit criteria for maintaining quality and integrity in science. But research practices are now openly questioned. I defend the idea that the tension between norms and practices in scientific writing must be addressed primarily by the scientific community if quality of the sources in the process of science communication is to be guaranteed. This paper provides evidence that scientific writing and researchersĄŻwriting practices do not reflect expected quality criteria. Evidence is based on four complementary analyses of: (i) communication manuals, journalsĄŻ recommendations to authors and the norms they convey (ii) feedback given by reviewers (ii) interviews and questionnaires (iv) researchersĄŻ written productions and writing practices. I show that researchersĄŻ writing and communication practices are very often in total contradiction with the norms and standards the scientific community has established. Unless researchers can improve and guarantee quality and integrity of the sources, the whole system of science communication will be threatened.
%K Democracy and science communication
%K Science writing
%K Public communication of and discourses on science and technology
%U http://jcom.sissa.it/archive/08/02/Jcom0802%282009%29A04/Jcom0802%282009%29A04.pdf