1)  Maximization  of publications :

Unfortunately in many cases it is not the quality of publications that count ,but the total number.  This has many undesirable consequences.  Firstly, it pushes researches to publish quickly WITHOUT closely examining results.  Researches often will republish the same results in multiple journals with only small modifications to the text.  Thirdly:  researches may copy other research from one journal to another.  In all cases quality is sacrificed for quantity.  In addition, publications usually mean conference in which travel+ accommodations are paid by the university, which can be a very strong incentive for submitting articles to conferences in prized travel destinations.

2) Publication into Specific Journals

For the case of the creation versus Evolution debate this is a critical point.  The majority of journals and in particular the top rated journal “Nature” and “Science” all implicitly accept the theory of evolution.  It is impossible for a publication to be accepted in these journals if it is defending positions based on creation or scientifically refuting  articles  supporting evolution.

3) Obtaining of Research Funding

Contrary to popular belief, in the end Research is a much of a business as selling cars or any other commercial activity.  The business is centered around obtain research grants from public funding or building lucrative relationships with private companies which can be lucrative for professors.  Obtaining funding depends strongly on the ability of the research to publish.

II) Difference with Research in the area of Creation.

Creation Facts of Life

In the book,  former evolutionist Dr. Gary Parker describes the evidences he once used to “preach” evolution in his biology classes.

Contrary to the situation with evolution research,  activity in the area of creation does not have the same pressures or biases.  The reason for this is obvious,  in our current society, there is little research funding or other money to be gained from publishing a scientific article on creation.  In addition there is no pressure to try to be accepted in top rated journals, since there is no chance of getting accepted in journals which have already written off creation as religion and myth.

Fortunately, despite the overwhelming barriers faced by creation research, a large number of quality books have appeared on the subject and we encourage our readers to deepen there understanding in this area.

Recommended Reading on Creation/Evolution:

Scientific Creationism

The Creationists: From Scientific Creationism to Intelligent Design, Expanded Edition

While there are many articles on this topic available on the internet, here I really want to share my personal experiences with the world of research in an effort to debunk the myth that all great universities are publishing quality scientific research which is backed by solid research.  As a former Research at McGill, University of Montreal and University of Geneva in the areas of Computer science, Physics and imaging, I now have a strong understanding of the research world.

Goals of Universities and of the Research Centers

1) Research Output / Publications of individuals

Maximize the amount of publications generated by the authors.  It is extremely important for PhD students and senior researchers to produce as many articles as possible as these are essentially the ticket to later positions as Professors in prestigious universities.

2) Research Output / Publications of the Research Center or University

As a whole the university or research center must also maximize the number of research publications as this is a source of prestige for the university and frequently a measure used to evaluate the quality of the university.

3) Publication in specific journals

In the research world it is well known that certain journals have more “weight than others.  In particular journals such as “Science” and “Nature” have much more scientific weight and are much more prestigious than other scientific journals.  As such there is a strong motivation to publish in specific journals.

4) Obtaining research funding

While some of the money available o researchers comes directly from public funding, much of the money must be sought after by grant proposals, government funding or funding from private institutions.

In the next article we will see how these goals influence and bias the research objectives.

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Related Reading

Yesterday on television and on screen around the world appeared an excellent movie entitled "HOME".  With magestic landscapes filmed from the sky, Yann Arthus bertrand, already known for his photography, particulary in the book:

Earth from Above, Third Edition

 The book contains spectacular images of the earth taken from the sky, and is a MUST for all lovers of photography.  Yann Arthus Bertrnad now turns his attention to the movie world with "Home".

Commentary

The documentary covers many areas and gives important statistics regarding the state of our planet, for example the disappearing forests, the warming of the climate, the glaciers which are retreating, the polar ice caps which are melting,  fishing resources depleted etc.  The documentary essentially shows how we have impacted our planet by overusing and exploiting , and abusing resources.

The start of the documentary displays the fragile and complex interaction of man and his environement.  Our existence depends on a perfect balance of hundreds of factors.  The film highlights in particular the water cylce and in particular how dependent we are on the melting of glaciers ot give is fresh water, specific plants which purify the water, and algae which are pervasive in the oceans and play an important role in generating oxygen from carbon dioxide. 

The spectacular images and discussions in the first 15 minutes of the film really point to a divine creation.  It is impossible that all of this is the result of chance and billions of years of evolution, while it is extremely important that we act to save the planet, it is equally important for us to understand our origins and the real reasons for saving the planet, which stem for a respect for God's creation and our fellow human beings.  The subject of creation and scientific defense of creation is well beyond the scope of this article, however there are many former hard core evolutionists, which have turned to creationism as the only explanation for our existence.  An excellent example is

Trailer from the movie Home

n 200,000 years on Earth, humanity has upset the balance of the planet, established by nearly four billion years of evolution. The price to pay is high, but it's too late to be a pessimist: humani...

Related Reading on Yann And Photography

Yann Arthus-Bertrand: Being a Photographer

The New Earth From Above: 365 Days