Videnskabelig uredelighed

The American Association of Public Opinion Research has censured a Johns Hopkins University professor for refusing to disclose “basic facts” about his controversial research that estimated the number of civilians who have died in Iraq since the 2003 invasion is hundreds of thousands more than most other estimates.

The association conducted an eight-month inquiry into results published by Gilbert Burnham in the October 2006 issue of The Lancet, a British medical journal, that estimated that 650,000 Iraqis had died as a result of the U.S.-led invasion.

The inquiry into Mr. Burnham’s work arose because of a complaint by one of the association’s members. But Mr. Burnham, who is not a member of the association, refused to cooperate. He wouldn’t disclose such information as the wording of questions he used in a survey of Iraqis, the instructions and explanations that were provided to respondents, and a summary of the outcomes for all households selected as potential participants in the survey, according to a statement released by the group.

“This violated the standards of science, seriously undermines open public debate on critical issues, and undermines the credibility of all survey and public-opinion research,” said Richard A. Kulka, the association’s president.

Læs mere på The Chronicle

Dette er ligegyldigt – de uredelige tal er en del af venstrefløjens mytologi om Irak-krigen – som fakta ikke får indflydelse på.  Så forvent aldrig at høre om det på DDR etc.