just ask this scientician

[bossymarmalade]

Well shit, y'all:

reposting in entirety from deadlychameleon:

I called the Boston University IRB office. The direct approach works.

They've gotten a lot of emails regarding Dr. Ogas. He is no longer in any way affiliated with Boston University, except as a recent graduate. They have asked him to stop using his official Boston University email address in connection with this project, or his website. He is officially on his own, and this project is NOT IRB APPROVED.

That is the official status as stated by the Boston University IRB office.

The problem with this is threefold:

1. The researcher has no expertise in the area he is researching, nor has he recruited anyone to give him guidance.

2. The researcher has substantial profit motivation to produce work in this area (book contract with Penguin) which may lead to unethical conduct/a tendency to misrepresent his results.

3. The research is in no way overseen by any external body which can examine it for potential unethical conduct.

In addition to all of these, the researchers have now alienated their participant population, who are now very likely to become unreliable participants.

The only way to salvage the study at this point, I believe, would be for them to change it to an observational one.

You know what that means, right? We've expended all our considerable might in explaining to them why their project is harmful, wrongheaded, and offensive, and they have ignored us.

So I say it's time to hail down the ridicule! Don't even bother getting mad, don't waste any more logic or explanation on them, just flood them with a motherfucking AVALANCHE of internet junk, in-jokes, macros, gifs -- whatever. There's no excuse they can give that would be of any worth, so let's not bother giving them the opportunity!

... Goddamn, I wish I had a "Cool as Ice" gif I could use.

ETA: Here's a good place to start -- a shitload of brain-modeling babblewank as an attempt to "explain" their statement about female interest in slash = male interest in transfolk. JUST SHUT UP ALREADY

Comments

[karnythia]

I suggest contacting the publisher about their study methods. Just to help them avoid a lawsuit from angry parents don't you know?

[schemingreader]

That's precisely what I was going to suggest! Great minds in similar channels.

[wild_irises]

Indeed. That's what I came into this thread to say.

[schemingreader]

Well, here is the link to the literary agent they found, which was on the wiki that bossymarmalade links:

http://www.gailross.com/project_health.htm

Here's a bizarre blog post about the two "researchers" and their stint on Who Wants to Be A Millionaire: (!!)

http://gailross.blogspot.com/2009/07/before-they-were-grla-clients-rule-34s.html

Dutton and their relationship to Penguin:
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/publishers/adult/dutton.html

Maybe Stephen Morrow is the relevant acquisitions editor?

I want to suggest that the key points to emphasize in contacting the editors is the part about the IRB, misrepresenting their relationship to BU, and not being careful about asking minors about sex. The part about how we think they are blithering idiots because of their laughable stupidity about slash, sexuality, etc. is not interesting to people who may be interested in publishing controversial books. That's a reason to publish, not a reason to withdraw the contract.

[wild_irises]

Gail Ross is a reputable agent based in Washington, D.C. She's very unlikely to drop a client with a book sale based on this kind of thing, however.

Publishers are (for good reasons, at least from my point of view as a publishing professional) pretty careful about revealing who the acquisitions editors are on particular books. I'd go directly to Brian Tart, whose the person whose line is at stake if this becomes an embarrassing controversy.

I completely agree with the points about what to emphasize and what to downplay. However, the business about having to explain the difference between mean and median to them is extremely useful.

[schemingreader]

Oh, would you link that discussion? Because the more absurd stuff is so over the top.

[wild_irises]

Here is where I saw it. (Sorry, it was mean and mode, not mean and median. Nonethestill ...

I expect there's more on mecurtin's page.

[schemingreader]

It's kind of funny that Mecurtin told him back in July that one of the sites where he eventually chose to post the survey was largely frequented by minors, and also how he could find that out.

Stupid because unethical or unethical because stupid? It's like a chicken and egg question. Also, note deadlychameleon's edited-to-add on their post about the lack of BU support--that these folks are for real and this isn't a case of stolen identity! I was so sure.

[bossymarmalade]

I'm totally gonna do a separate action plan post, but as I know nothing about the publishing world I'm just gonna quote the two of you, if that's all right!

Do you have contact info for Brian Tart or an idea where I can find it?

[wild_irises]

Sure, quote me. That's fine. If you want my real (full) name, just let me know.

Dutton's main # is 212-366-2000. Calling there and asking for Brian Tart will probably work. Also, I'd try btart@penguin.com and see if it bounces.

He's also btart on Twitter, which should allow for some fun ...

[bossymarmalade]

*Excellent*! I think using your dw handle will be enough, since this is an internets-fueled smackdown anyhow. *g*

Thank you so much!

[robin_arede]

yay, i see you are crossposting on LJ!

[bossymarmalade]

Yes indeedy!

[bossymarmalade]

FANTASTIC!!

[clarity_bligh]

Ooh, I like this. The one thing that might trump "shitloads of sales" in a publisher's mind might be "think of the children," after all.

[phosfate]

"Potential liability suit," "online solicitation of minors," and "violation of federal law" are good, too.