Why do we spend more time reporting what we do than doing what we do?

[Zenco]

Hi community,

 

Since this is my first post here I will take a couple of sentences to introduce myself.

 

I am a 3. semester marine biology student. Over my holidays I somehow managed to work as a consultant for an international organisation in a small country in South-east Asia. I worked on a marine turtle surveying project and helped to build capacity and awareness towards conservation in this country.

 

Now coming back to New Zealand and going back to uni I am still working on the reports for the organisation I conducted fieldwork for.

Due to listening to Alan Watts this morning (he is a philosopher I really like), I realised like so many times before that he is right when we talk about things we like doing and things we have to do because our boss or society wants us to do so. However, especially when working in science barely people spend more than 1/3 of their time doing what they do but recording what they do. Why do we write reports which are barely read by anyone? Does scientific research ever make headlines or changes anything because of an outstanding report? Sure, I don't like writing reports and English is not my first language which is challenging sometimes wanting to be all correct as Germany told me so. I just cannot understand why writing reports to the extent we do today is so important. Wouldn't it be enough to just list facts on an international database for good? A platform where we can upload the data we collect in the field and whoever needs it can take it. I wouldn't be surprised if something like that does exist already but is just not accepted yet because certain people want to "own" the date they collected. To me that only means that they don't give a fuck about this place and are just after money or want to boost their career.

 

If I would not have to write the report of my turtle research but could just feed the raw data into some kind of system I would have the time this weekend to go down to Farwell Spit where over 650 Pilot whales beached 2 days ago, get my hands dirty and do what I do or what I want to do. I could prepare for the next field trip, study or just watch a movie. Making changes for others but as a student mostly for myself. Remember that we will be life-long students. Sitting behind a computer screen to look at my data, shift it around and construct some smart words around it to sound "evident" to then have someone else look at my data does not change anything.

 

I am young and barely have experience. And it might not sound that way but I am living my dream. I am just not happy with the speed this planet and its' people are changing. If we would not spend so much time reporting, talking and negotiating, we might be able to make the necessary changes before it is too late.

 

If there is anyone here who can refer me to someone with the same idea or thoughts, please don't hesitate to give me contacts or leave your thoughts here, I'd appreciate it and probably anyone else who had a think about that subject.

 

Cheers,

[Acme]

Hi community,

 

Since this is my first post here I will take a couple of sentences to introduce myself.

 

I am a 3. semester marine biology student. Over my holidays I somehow managed to work as a consultant for an international organisation in a small country in South-east Asia. I worked on a marine turtle surveying project and helped to build capacity and awareness towards conservation in this country.

 

Now coming back to New Zealand and going back to uni I am still working on the reports for the organisation I conducted fieldwork for.

Due to listening to Alan Watts this morning (he is a philosopher I really like), I realised like so many times before that he is right when we talk about things we like doing and things we have to do because our boss or society wants us to do so. However, especially when working in science barely people spend more than 1/3 of their time doing what they do but recording what they do. Why do we write reports which are barely read by anyone?

What evidence do you have that reports are 'barely read by anyone'?

 

 

Does scientific research ever make headlines or changes anything because of an outstanding report?

This is rather a vague question, Headlines where? Change what how? Outstanding why and to whom?

 

Sure, I don't like writing reports and English is not my first language which is challenging sometimes wanting to be all correct as Germany told me so.

Sounds like this is the crux of the issue.

 

I just cannot understand why writing reports to the extent we do today is so important. Wouldn't it be enough to just list facts on an international database for good?

It's important because the results of research have their value in being shared. Listing facts may have merit, but often the facts/data require collation and analysis to manifest their value.

 

A platform where we can upload the data we collect in the field and whoever needs it can take it. I wouldn't be surprised if something like that does exist already but is just not accepted yet because certain people want to "own" the date they collected. To me that only means that they don't give a fuck about this place and are just after money or want to boost their career.

 

If I would not have to write the report of my turtle research but could just feed the raw data into some kind of system I would have the time this weekend to go down to Farwell Spit where over 650 Pilot whales beached 2 days ago, get my hands dirty and do what I do or what I want to do. I could prepare for the next field trip, study or just watch a movie. Making changes for others but as a student mostly for myself. Remember that we will be life-long students. Sitting behind a computer screen to look at my data, shift it around and construct some smart words around it to sound "evident" to then have someone else look at my data does not change anything.

 

I am young and barely have experience. And it might not sound that way but I am living my dream. I am just not happy with the speed this planet and its' people are changing. If we would not spend so much time reporting, talking and negotiating, we might be able to make the necessary changes before it is too late.

 

If there is anyone here who can refer me to someone with the same idea or thoughts, please don't hesitate to give me contacts or leave your thoughts here, I'd appreciate it and probably anyone else who had a think about that subject.

 

Cheers,

In other words, you don't have the wherewithal to do all that is required of a researcher. Maybe you've chosen the wrong line of work.

[Endy0816]

Reports help provide insight into the quality of the data gathered. As important as the data itself.

 

There are mapping projects out there. You might want to look at them.

 

 

@Acme: I'm sure he's just a bit depressed. Considering state of the Oceans, can't be fun to write reports about it rather than taking more immediate action(if not as far reaching).

[Zenco]

What evidence do you have that reports are 'barely read by anyone'?

Just what I find when I look at some articles I read recently. When I find them on google scholar some of them will tell me how many readers they had so far and most of them are in the low one-hundreds. It just gives me a feeling that there is no big interest in those articles.

 

 

This is rather a vague question, Headlines where? Change what how? Outstanding why and to whom?

 

Anywhere. How does research reach the people who are no scientists and who would have a hard time reading a scientific report? The majority of people is receiving our work cropped down in a news article like on iflscience.com.

 

We need to be changed, right? So that we can help ourselves and survive on this planet. What's the purpose of collecting data every day if it is only published after years of research sometimes when the project is done? Couldn't it be important to know certain facts beforehand?

 

Important findings should be thought to everyone because we all live here. That's what main stream media is for but sadly it is used for advertising rubbish and stuff that rather damages the environment.

 

Sounds like this is the crux of the issue.

 

Maybe I am too young to value an office as a work place.

 

It's important because the results of research have their value in being shared. Listing facts may have merit, but often the facts/data require collation and analysis to manifest their value.

I am not talking about not publishing any reports at all. I just don't see the point to write reports for every day in the field, every meeting, every time my colleague farts and then an annual report as well. I think it is a waste of time/money/resources.

Maybe one annual report would be enough. In the mean time, all the data gets fed into a global system and is free to access. Sure people have copy rights on it but everyone can at least see it and know what is going on before the paper work is done. Just a vision of mine...

 

 

In other words, you don't have the wherewithal to do all that is required of a researcher. Maybe you've chosen the wrong line of work.

No comment.

[Acme]

...

@Acme: I'm sure he's just a bit depressed. Considering state of the Oceans, can't be fun to write reports about it rather than taking more immediate action(if not as far reaching).

Understood. Nevertheless, any work entails mundane activities.

 

 

Just what I find when I look at some articles I read recently. When I find them on google scholar some of them will tell me how many readers they had so far and most of them are in the low one-hundreds. It just gives me a feeling that there is no big interest in those articles.

Your feeling is not an adequate judgment of the usefulness of the articles. Even if only 1 person read a report/article, but used it in support of other research then the writing was worthwhile.

 

 

Anywhere. How does research reach the people who are no scientists and who would have a hard time reading a scientific report? The majority of people is receiving our work cropped down in a news article like on iflscience.com.

I'd say the majority of people aren't interested in more than popular science type reading, and if they are then prompted by popular articles they will seek out more detailed information.

 

 

We need to be changed, right? So that we can help ourselves and survive on this planet. What's the purpose of collecting data every day if it is only published after years of research sometimes when the project is done? Couldn't it be important to know certain facts beforehand?

It might be important to know certain things sooner, yes. It's also important to do a proper job of collating and analyzing facts before releasing them. You might consider writing your own blog to disseminate information you find important, as long as you do so responsibly.

 

 

Important findings should be thought to everyone because we all live here. That's what main stream media is for but sadly it is used for advertising rubbish and stuff that rather damages the environment.

'Main stream media' is such an overused term and little more than a strawman folks can feel satisfied in beating about the head and shoulders with a hefty cudgel. You're using a computer so you should know you can find darn near any important finding you want. Many things hidden behind paywalls online can still be found in a good old fashioned university library.

 

 

Maybe I am too young to value an office as a work place.

 

I am not talking about not publishing any reports at all. I just don't see the point to write reports for every day in the field, every meeting, every time my colleague farts and then an annual report as well. I think it is a waste of time/money/resources.

Maybe one annual report would be enough. In the mean time, all the data gets fed into a global system and is free to access. Sure people have copy rights on it but everyone can at least see it and know what is going on before the paper work is done. Just a vision of mine...

Vision is great, but it is never achieved without putting one's nose to an elbow-greased grindstone.

 

No comment.

I'll need that statement written up in triplicate on my desk by 7am.

[Delta1212]

Research is rather pointless if it is not recorded and shared. That is why it is done. It may be fun to do for its own sake, but nobody is going to pay a researcher to have fun learning something and then keep the knowledge for themselves.

 

It's also important to note that the number of people who read a piece of research is less important that who it is that reads those reports, and the fact that those reports are available if anyone has specific need of them.

 

Any one report that someone writes may not wind up a source of water cooler talk in offices around the country, but those big ideas that do break through into the public consciousness rely on the collection of data in smaller bits here and there in order to be developed.

 

The foundation of a building is often invisible to the public, but the people who spent time building it know it is there, and the structure would collapse without its presence.

[Externet]

Because you are expendable and the findings in your work should be passable to your successors when you not be there so it does not need to be done again.

 

What some employers omit is stating the importance priorities of your work. Should be 1- 'document that' first, and 2- 'do that'. Charles Darwin work would not survive today without his reports. 'Wikipedia' would not be very useful if there were blank pages that you need to fill properly yourself every time you want to learn something.

[hypervalent_iodine]

Collecting the data is really only half the battle in most research. Consider, for example, bioinformatics.

[Zenco]

I kinda enjoyed writing the report in the end. It was the first one I wrote not as a part of a uni project and I only just started the third semester so I am still a bit unconfident about the whole process. Thanks for cheering me up though!