On Saturday, John Edwards laid out 8 guidelines for research.  In particular, I appreciated the advice that you prepare to be accused of bias no matter what your results.  Most of the rules of good research derive from this premise.  You should design your experiment and document everything thoroughly with the goal that others will analyze your procedure and be able to duplicate your results.  This very openness is what defends your research from the accusations of bias.  It helps you make sure that you are really seeing what the data says, not what you wanted to see.

Now, with a bit of tongue-in-cheek, I have to argue that John oversteps in recommendations 2 and 3 (excerpted below).  He may be displaying his own bias as a career government employee when he argues that financial independence is a necessary precursor for repeatable research.  "Independent" researchers are neither more nor less subject to bias, pride-of-authorship and experimental error.  No one's research, whether funded by the government, by industry or through some "independent" group, should be taken at face value.  It should always be evaluated on its merits.

Mike Rossander

> Second, somehow, insulate yourself from outside and/or vested interests by walling yourself off (financially) in an independently funded or gov't. organization.
> Third, divest yourself of any financial links to industry.


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