Breakout Sessions
15:15 – 16:45, LMU Biocenter, rooms will be announced on site
There will be 6 parallel Breakout Sessions.
1. When things go wrong - ombudssystems in research and graduate education
PD Dr. Silke Meiners, Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Helmholtz Zentrum München
Dr. Jörg Tittor, Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried
In this Breakout Session, Silke Meiners (ombudsperson for graduate students at HELENA) and Jörg Tittor (ombudsperson at the MPI of Biochemistry) will discuss the role and structure of ombudssystems in science. Case studies will illustrate if and how ombudssystems can help to bring things back on track. Participants are encouraged to discuss their questions and own experiences with the ombudspersons.
2. Reproducible research: experimental design, data analysis, data presentation
Dr. Tobias Straub, Adolf Butenandt Institute, LMU Munich
Concerns are rising that many published results in basic life science research are not reproducible. Factors contributing to this shortcoming can be inappropriate experimentation and low standards of statistical treatment. In addition, there are common misconceptions among scientists as to how results of statistical tests should be interpreted.
Competence in experimental design and statistical thinking is crucial for exiting a vicious circle that is starting to undermine confidence in research results. In this Breakout Session we will try to de-mystify p-values and find better parameters for assessing the reproducibility of research findings. Based on real-word examples we will discuss good and bad ways in result generation and reporting.
Presentation Dr. Straub (pdf, 5MB)
3. Is publishing keeping pace?
Marian Turner, PhD, editor Nature
Mark Patterson, PhD, executive director eLIFE
Publishing is in transition - open access, altmetrics, megajournals, blogs, post-publication peer review, are just some of the new developments that have emerged in recent years. How should scientists and journals work together in the existing peer-review system to maintain integrity, and what can be done to ensure that the publishing system adapts effectively to online media so that the interests of science are properly served?
Presentation Patterson (pdf, 6.8MB)
4. Data acquisition in animal experiments and parameters influencing scientific results
Dr. Thomas Brill, Biomedical Center, LMU Munich
Dr. Eckart Thein, Central Coordinator for Animal Protection, LMU Munich
In this workshop the participants will design an animal experiment, characterize and discuss all factors which might influence data acquisition, data processing and scientific results. Typical pitfalls and the up to date recommendations in the field (e.g. ARRIVE guidelines) will be demonstrated by the tutors.
Presentation Dr. Brill and Dr. Thein (pdf, 2.3 MB)
5. Good citation practice versus plagiarism - common ground and open questions
Professor Dr. Ansgar Ohly, LL.M., Chair in Civil Law, Intellectual Property and Competition Law, LMU Munich
Recent cases of plagiarism have attracted considerable media attention in Germany. It has turned out, however, that 'plagiarism' is an evasive concept. Does it only relate to form or also to substance? Who should be cited as the author of multi-author works? Is 'self plagiarism' a self-contradictory term? What are and what ought to be the consequences of plagiarism? These and other current issues of good citation practice will be discussed on the basis of recent examples.
Presentation Prof. Dr. Ohly (pdf, 1.3 MB)
6. Why most published research findings are false: everything you always wanted to know about the p-value and statistical power, but were too lazy to ask
Professor Dr. Ulrich Dirnagl, Center for Stroke Research and Departments of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin
In this breakout we will try to find out what the statement 'p < 0.05' means, and whether there is a formal way to decide whether scientific hypotheses are right or wrong. Bring your own hypothesis and research design!