Beer-Drinking Scientist Debunks Productivity Correlation 130
austinpoet writes in with a blog post debunking the theory we discussed a few days back that scientists' beer consumption is linearly correlated with the quality of their work. Chris Mack, Gentleman Scientist and beer drinker, has analyzed the paper and found it is severely flawed. From his analysis: "The discovered linear relationship between beer consumption and scientific output had a correlation coefficient (R-squared) of only about 0.5 — not very high by my standards, though I suspect many biologists would be happy to get one that high in their work... Thus, the entire study came down to only one conclusion: the five worst ornithologists in the Czech Republic drank a lot of beer."
Simply put (Score:5, Funny)
In Other news (Score:5, Funny)
Maybe (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Simply put (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Hmm... do we need either of these studies? (Score:5, Funny)
Disclaimer, I am non of the above.
Re:Hmm... do we need either of these studies? (Score:5, Funny)
Here [xkcd.com]
Sketch... (Score:5, Funny)
This has to be a lost Monty Python sketch, right?
Re:In Other news (Score:5, Funny)
That was based on a misquote. The original conversation was 'Dude...do you think they have string cheese on Mars...like that would be so coool. Pass the Doritos?'
Few... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Simply put (Score:4, Funny)
what is this mythical substance of which you speak?
Re:We all know what to do now: (Score:4, Funny)
Some suggestions:
Pilsener Urquell vs. Milwaukee's Best
Budvar vs. Old Milwaukee
Re:Hmm... do we need either of these studies? (Score:5, Funny)
I refuse to give up one entire food group!!!
Perhaps there is a cause and effect (Score:5, Funny)
So, how did the 5 ornithologists respond to him? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Simply put (Score:5, Funny)
Re:!news (Score:1, Funny)
I can't believe no one said it? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Sketch... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Not only that (Score:5, Funny)
If you consume beer through an IV I think you're a different type of drinker.
Re:Simply put (Score:4, Funny)
Talk about wrong profession! (Score:1, Funny)
Re:We all know what to do now: (Score:2, Funny)
Budvar vs. Old Milwaukee
Type Error: can't compare incompatible types.
I've found a new co-relation: (Score:2, Funny)
Social activity leads to "rubbing shoulders" with those with the ability to affect your career. Argo:
Social activity with beer would likely lead to scientist's getting tenure; most people will agree that tenure doesn't help produce "quality" papers (defined as those likely to be sited a lot and in prestigious journals). Just like most nobel prize winners tend to do little productive work in their field after that accomplishment. I'm from a physics background, our nobel prize winners have been known to go into such great research areas as "proving aliens exist" and throwing temper tantrums that quantum mechanics doesn't "feel" right to them.
Not to say that the tenure system is bad, we need independence/security for researchers so they aren't forced too much to do what will get them grants and keep them in a position. As well, I'd rather have the heavy beer drinking crowd safely behind a desk then operating a crane above my office. However, I don't think it is great that the entire university heirachy revolves around getting tenure as a status symbol. No one's job should be so secure that they cease having to try.
Re:Not only that (Score:2, Funny)