Scientific Section

[rdd1952]

I know the intent of the Scientific Section was to open topics that could be debated scientifically with hard facts. I see that there have been a lot of threads moved (9 out of 35 total threads) because they were really just things that should have been in te Chit Chat or other sections.

I believe that in the Species Profile section, all new threads go into a queue for the mods to review before they become a true thread. Would it not be a good idea to do the same thing in the Scientific Section so that only appropriate scientific threads end up there? All others could be activated in a more appropriate forum. I know that is more work for who ever is moderating that forum but the mods are already having to look at them and move them anyway.

 

[fry_lover]

i dont understand, then we might as well have a queue for all the forums then?

surely if the thread isnt appropriate for the scientific forum it can just be moved? Or is moving threads tricky for moderators? does it involve more time?

I know there are certain rules for the scientific section, perhaps people are not reading them and just posting threads randomly?

 

[rdd1952]

But if people stick strictly to the rules of the scientific forum and only apply to topics to which they can supply proof, then no one will reply to those threads because there may not be any proof. Just like this and this thread. Both of those threads went unanswered whereas the poster may have gotten a reply had they been screened and moved to the appropriate forum. Moving them probably isn't that time consuming although i have no clue what is involved, but having them go to the right forum sooner would help the poster get an answer quicker.

And as for the rules, unfortunately, very few people ever read the pinned topics at the top to actually see what the rules are.

Edit: Also, with the thread that shouldn't be there, the forum will quickly become cluttered with junk. And that forum has potential to be a great resource of information.

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

I too have been somewhat disappointed by the kinds and quality of posts being made in the scientific section. Right now I think there are perhaps a few too many "bad examples" floating around in there providing temptation for people to post topics they think might be scientific. At the same time however I do understand how difficult it is to keep the forum true to its intended purpose while balancing the "open" aspect of it. No one wants to feel excluded, and I'm sure steelhealr and other mods don't want to feel they are being overly critical of topics.

 

[dwarfgourami]

It may need a bit of time to settle down- and of course it is crucial that anyone who does have something scholarly to contribute does so. The more posts like that there are, the more the forum will become defined by them. Now where did I put that book about the Loch Ness monster.....?

 

[SLC Flyfishing]

I had a feeling it might come to this with the scientific section. This is why while I was initially for it, I changed my mind. It seems to me like the scientific section is not being held true to it's principles, and has degraded to something vaguely resembling general chat. Which we all know is a byword around here.

SLC

 

[Bignose]

Well, firstly, I think that steelhealr's been pretty busy and hasn't been able to clean up the section. It does need one, and the stickies on the top need to be done, too. I think that the questions asked have been good, but the responses have been very chit-chatty. That is, not sourced, not backed up with evidence, and too much "I think that..." or "In my experience..."

But, and here's a big one, there needs to be some more traffic in there. I've tried to answer almost every single post, when I can, and by the little black dot that shows up in the section I have written in almost every single post at least once. But, there needs to be more people answering scientifically. There are more of you guys out there, I know there are, come in and write something!

The section has only been up for two months, SLC, let's give it some time. I think we all knew that it was going to have some growing pains.

 

[SLC Flyfishing]

I knew it would have an initial adjustment period, but in the meantime it's just general chat. I'm not really against that, it's just that for some reason general chat is such a terrible notion here, so why is it being allowed to go on unchallenged? I guess it's because it's all being done under the banner of the new pet project of the forum "the scientific section".

SLC

 

[Tolak]

Every topic in that section, including the ones that were moved, has something to do with aquatics, science, or both. You are right, there are topics there that don't belong, they are in the process of being moved.

In the mean time, read up on fin erosion, that is as good a topic as I can think of to start the journal discussion idea with, and is pointing the Scientific Section in the intended direction.