Premium
The map of science collaboratory
Author(s) -
Blanco Hilda
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
systems research and behavioral science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1099-1743
pISSN - 1092-7026
DOI - 10.1002/sres.500
Subject(s) - collaboratory , data science , discipline , computer science , set (abstract data type) , knowledge management , world wide web , sociology , social science , programming language
This paper develops the idea for a program of nationwide collaboratories. It argues that now that we have completed mapping the human genome, we should begin to map its corresponding social unit—the set of instructions that generate/constitute our knowledge. This is a pressing task because of the environmental and population challenges we face in the twenty‐first century, which require well‐informed public policy based on scientific consensus, and because the explosive growth in research and publications makes divergence, and not consensus, more likely. The major tasks of the collaboratory would be to take stock, make accessible and synthesize existing knowledge, to develop further methods for research synthesis/meta‐analysis; to integrate disciplinary research; and to develop methods to visualize scientific findings and their linkages. The paper discusses and documents the explosive growth of the use of meta‐analysis in the medical and other sciences. The program calls for establishing 6–12 collaboratory centers throughout the country that would initially specialize on specific areas, substantive and methodological. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.