Do scientists like badges? At Individual and Society, we love them
Children, particularly in the past, enjoyed collecting various badges. They were thrilled when adults presented them with badges such as “For the Development of the Homeland” or “Born in Košice”. Each badge symbolized something, and the wearer showcased this symbolism. Nearly a decade ago, the Center for Open Science introduced the concept of three badges to be awarded to scientists by journals. These badges were Open Data (for data sharing), Open Materials (for materials sharing), and Preregistered (for preregistering a plan for confirmatory research). Authors used these badges to demonstrate the transparency of their research. It’s widely recognized that transparency is closely linked with reproducibility and replicability.
According to Schneider et al. (2022), badges also serve as indicators of trustworthiness. Scientists are perceived as more trustworthy by their peers if they signal transparency through badges and their actions (such as data sharing and preregistration). Transparency is intrinsically linked with trust. As the saying goes, “Where there is no transparency, there is no trust”. In the context of research, Phillip B.'s famous statement rings true: “If you say, ‘trust me!’ and make a mistake, you become untrustworthy. But if you say, ‘look, here are my results,’ and you are wrong, you remain an honest person.”
Why should we strive for transparency? For society to benefit from acquired knowledge, that knowledge must be trustworthy. Credible research is not only rigorous but also transparent (Moher et al., 2020). The role of scientists is to provide credible knowledge to the society they serve, not to produce articles with fabricated data or reports of unreplicable fantastical effects.
A year ago, at Individual and Society, we decided to reward authors for their transparency with the aforementioned three badges. How has this decision influenced their behavior? In 2023, eight empirical studies were published, with the authors of four of them sharing their data. That’s 50%, or half, or one in two authors. This is encouraging and promising. However, the ultimate goal is 100% - a state where transparency becomes the norm for scientists. Achieving this goal is a collective effort.
Do you want to have your badge too? Sharing is easy. If you don't know how to do it, we at Individual and Society are happy to help you.
Processed by Marcel Martončik, Spoločenskovedný ústav CSPV SAV, v. v. i.