Especially for relatively junior PIs who face enormous publication pressures, and hiring a smart, technically capable post doc at that level but who is incapable of writing quickly and to a high standard can be a real career killer. I've seen it happen to people.
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Replying to @chrisdc77 @micahgallen
I believe you, but it worries me even more if that's a skill weighting being used.
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Replying to @o_guest @micahgallen
Also, I think many (perhaps most) PIs would prefer to train new ECRs to do better science rather than teach them to write, which the PI may have zero ability to do even they are a great writer themselves. Teaching folks to write better is fearsomely hard.
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Replying to @chrisdc77 @micahgallen
I agree. I just, from many personal experiences, think retraining leaves pockets of old (wrong) knowledge (QRPs) intact. Its much more dangerous than bad wiring. Bad writing can be seen literally in black and white and addressed. A QPR for example can be hidden by good writing.
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To be clear, this is based on my experiences not derived from some mechanism or principle. It's likely I've met many PIs who don't know how to retrain and/or many students/trainees who know how to write very well to the point of hiding huge issues.
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I believe my experiences generalise well, but I'm obviously biased.
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Replying to @o_guest @micahgallen
Totally. I couldn't agree with you more. The obsession w good writing is part of the "flair" culture that emphasises bullshitting & story-telling over proper science. Personally I would prefer to employ a promising scientist over a promising bullshitter, but I fear that if >
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> you had asked my former self (say, 12 years ago as young PI who had not woken up to the problems in science) what I would prefer, I would have been swayed toward hiring someone who can produce, & arrogantly assumed that I could fill the science gap.
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Replying to @chrisdc77 @micahgallen
It makes sense but it's scary! Hopefully the tide is turning!
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We also as a community need to decide what to do and say to people trained badly. It's hard to convince somebody they are essentially totally wrong and in a way have been conned.
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It's an issue very close to my heart.
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One last thing. Good writing mustn't be confused with bullshitting. Good explanation and good theory are so important. But yes, certain people are only good writers and able to use their skills to hide the truth.
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