Re: Where to publish results?

[Karl Trappe <trappe@PHYSICS.UTEXAS.EDU>]

I don't have an answer to your question as to where to publish such
experimentation.

 However, I have a strong admonition to *very carefully* look at the
scientific conclusions and the frequent absence of controls in such
projects.  Having done biophysics research myself, I can attest to most
such research belonging to the JIR (Journal of Irreproduceable Results).
There are usually too many variables that are left uncontrolled to draw any
conclusion whatsoever.  Yet, the initiation of the project with a
"hypothesis" demands that "conclusions" be drawn.

Anyone who has judged "Science Fair" projects is familiar with seemingly
reasonable conclusions drawn from insufficiently controlled
experimentation. Figuring out the missing control is often not trivial.
Consequently, I answer your question (Where to publish?) with another (Why
do you think you should publish these results?)  Besides publishing their
observations, scientists learn to when to *not publish*. They also learn to
document earlier experiments which did the same thing as they proclaim to
have done.  Your example of the effects of magnets on healing is so common
a study as to be notorious.

Regarding Health Science:  I have never seen more published data which
lacked sufficient statistical significance, but was still published, as has
been done in the health professions.  It is not at all uncommon to report
in medical journals the results of a study on a hand full of datapoints,
and extrapolate to the entire population.  If you force pre-meds to flip
coins or roll dice to study statistical significance, they get frustrated
and completely miss the point when their results deviate from the expected
norm.  Good luck, but only publish what is worth publishing.  Karl

> I am interested to document some findings in projects done by myself and my
> students, and publish them because they might be of interest to the public.
> Where are the best channels for school projects like Magnetism and Health
> ("investigating the healing effect of magnet on wounded rabbits" say),
> Magnestism and Plant Growth etc?
> These are pre-University ('A' level) projects.
> Thanks for youe assistance.
>
> Regards,
> Chow

Dr. Karl I. Trappe                              Desk Phone:  (512) 471-4152
Physics Dept, Mail Stop C-1600                  Demo Office: (512) 471-5411
The University of Texas at Austin               Home Phone:  (512) 264-1616
Austin, Texas 78712-1081