Welcome to Part 5 of our series, The Unrav'ling Thread, where we explore the many strange, beautiful, and perplexing things that happen when you hit "publish" and launch your diary onto the Great Orange Sea. Whether you'll have fair winds and following seas or be tossed in a typhoon largely depends on your skills as a navigator.
Today we examine science diaries, where there's an above-average potential for commentary to whip the sea into a frenzy.
As we've discussed in
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
and
Part Four
of this series, the comment thread of any DKos diary offers some challenges and some rewards.
The challenges include the appearance of commenters who question your conclusions, your credentials, your views, and your response to their comments. Here at DKos, we are blessed to have a wide range of members with educational and professional expertise in nearly every field that you can imagine. We also have plenty of people who are passionate - really, really passionate - about particular issues, with or without the benefit of formal education or work experience.
On the egalitarian waters of the Great Orange Sea, everyone's entitled to their opinion. We don't "vet" diarists to confirm that they have the credentials to post here. Believe me, you would not want that sort of oversight. I know I wouldn't. Thus, as with everything else on the Internet that you get for free, it's "reader beware".
While it's possible that the diarist is a nationally - or internationally - recognized authority on the subject they're writing about, it's also possible that their knowledge on the subject comes from amateur research into the topic. There's nothing wrong with that.
Science, to some, is about facts. If even one fact is in error, whether in a diary or in a comment, the coefficient of bogusity for the entire piece skyrockets.
As a scientist myself, what I look for in a diary is the opportunity to exercise critical thinking. Among all of the college courses I took in my field, the ones I remember best were those taught by a quirky professor who really made us think, rather than making us assimilate a lot of factual information.
Follow along below the Orange Matter for more...
On the subject of long-term climate change (yes, we studied this in the early 1970's; not long ago in geologic time), this professor regaled us with the latest research. We spent a few lectures on data derived from ice cores in Antarctica, tying up those findings in a neat little package. Then we moved on to an examination of the work of Cesare Emiliani, who derived the Oxygen 16/Oxygen 18 ratios from the calcareous exoskeletons of Foraminefera in ocean sediments. Also very neat.
But wait... How could these two theories, each so delightfully watertight, fail to align in terms of their findings? Which one was "right"? Surely they couldn't both be "right"?
This, of course, was the whole point. As scientists out and about in the world, we would be confronted by (and now, it seems, overwhelmed by) theories, data, and opinions. Our professor's job, as he saw it, was to arm us with critical thinking skills.
These same skills would serve us very well as we navigate the Great Orange Sea.
As a diarist who has posted a science diary, your role is the same as that of any other diarist in handling comments: make your commenters welcome, consider their views, and respond (or don't respond) accordingly. If you're the sort to "post and run", don't be surprised to find the comments dropping off, or heading off on some tangential paths.
You needn't agree with everyone, but unless their comments are utterly egregious (ad hominem attacks on you or other commenters, conspiracy theories, or screeds of one sort or another), a courteous response is always helpful.
In a science diary, the challenges escalate, because you're operating at the crossroads of knowledge and passion. Your conclusions, however well referenced, may conflict with someone's beliefs and concerns. Here is where a calm sea can become choppy in a hurry. This is evident in diaries on climate change, genetically modified organisms, and other topics where the state of our knowledge is rapidly evolving and the concern of the public is kept on perpetual boil, with or without supporting factual information.
Even if you're an eminent authority on the subject and you feel that your commenter is utterly lacking in knowledge, it's incumbent upon you to maintain a constructive and respectful comment thread. Offer additional information or links that the commenter might want to check out.
Or, as my Dad used to say, "if you can't improve upon the silence... shut up!" Remember: you're under no obligation to respond to everyone.
Why do comment threads matter in a science diary?
1. They're a chance for you - and your commenters - to build upon your diary and share information. We have some amazingly well-informed people here who can offer some perspectives you might not have considered. They can also bolster your credibility. If nothing else, a comment can stimulate critical thinking. It might even inspire you - or the commenter - to do further research and perhaps write another diary.
2. It's your chance to educate and enlighten readers. If something in your diary wasn't clear, or could benefit from more examples or more references, here's your chance to address that. People learn in different ways an at different rates. Don't feel that a question or a request for clarification detracts from your credibility; it means someone would like to learn more.
3. It's a way for you to cultivate a following. If you treat your commenters with respect and truly help them grasp your point, chances are, they'll want to read your future diaries to learn more. Conversely, someone who's been treated dismissively after posting a comment may shun your future work, however brilliant it may be.
4. If you respond to comments in an abrasive, dismissive, or condescending manner, you're likely to reinforce unfortunate stereotypes that scientists are stuck in the ivory tower with their theories, unwilling to consider alternative viewpoints. For most folks, that's not the case at all, but openmindedness is a great asset here, whether you're the diarist or the commenter.
5. A brilliant diary that disintegrates into a contentious comment thread will render your diary ineligible for "rescue" to Community Spotlight, where we delight in promoting diaires that are otherwise languishing in obscurity. The Rescue Rangers read all diaries, and we look at how the comments are shaping up. If you post and run, or insult or demean your commenters, that's usually a deal killer.
6. Given the daunting global challenges we face, we all need to have a better grasp of science, and a chance to hone our critical thinking skills. If you can help us in this endeavor by interacting effectively with your commenters, you can make a positive difference in the world.