ScienceMediaWatchRichard Masters

MethodRandomly selected issue of

Nature (Nature 436, 504-509 (28 July 2005)

Use W.o.K and PubMed to look at all citing articles

Document and analyse all findings focussing on bias and media coverage

My Article

Evidence for magmatic evolution and diversity on Mars from infrared observations

P. R. Christensen1, H. Y. McSween, Jr2, J. L. Bandfield1, S. W. Ruff1, A. D. Rogers1, V. E. Hamilton3, N. Gorelick1, M. B. Wyatt1, B. M. Jakosky4, H. H. Kieffer5, M. C. Malin6 & J. E. Moersch2

Department of Geological Sciences, Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA

Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA

Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA

University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA US Geological Survey, Emeritus, Carson City, Nevada 89703, USA Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, California 92191, USA

Abstract Compositional mapping of Mars at the 100-metre scale with the

Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) has revealed a wide diversity of igneous materials. Volcanic evolution produced compositions from low-silica basalts to high-silica dacite in the Syrtis Major caldera. The existence of dacite demonstrates that highly evolved lavas have been produced, at least locally, by magma evolution through fractional crystallization. Olivine basalts are observed on crater floors and in layers exposed in canyon walls up to 4.5 km beneath the surface. This vertical distribution suggests that olivine-rich lavas were emplaced at various times throughout the formation of the upper crust, with their growing inventory suggesting that such ultramafic (picritic) basalts may be relatively common. Quartz-bearing granitoid rocks have also been discovered, demonstrating that extreme differentiation has occurred. These observations show that the martian crust, while dominated by basalt, contains a diversity of igneous materials whose range in composition from picritic basalts to granitoids rivals that found on the Earth.

Goals: Bias

Assess each citing article for the following biases: A - any one of the listed authors (who

wrote the original paper). B - any authors from the same research

institution C - any authors known to be or have

been associated with the authors of the paper (Search for all original article author names in citing authors paper history).

What else to look for What kind of article has cited the

original?Where was the citing article

published…Peer-reviewed journal?What is the journal’s impact

factor?Did the citing article get any

press coverage?

Pre

limin

ary

Findin

gs

3%12%

21%

41%6%3%

6%3%

3%

3%

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences

Planetary and Space Science

Icarus

Journal of Geophysical Research- Planets

Science

Lithos

Astrobiology

Geophysical Research Letters

Geomorphology

Sensors

Publications of the Astronomical Society of The Pacific

Citation Type

3.14

Preliminary FindingsHighest Impact Factor: Science

29.747Lowest Impact Factor: Sensors

1.821Impact Factors hovered around 3.

Specialist nature of research All journals were peer reviewedNo NPG

Citation Type

86%

11%3%

Sales

Article Review Editorial Material

Pre

limin

ary

Findin

gs

Findings: Bias

40%

60%

Citing Articles

Bias found No bias found

Findings: Biases

Bias A

Bias B

Bias C

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Bias

Number

Analysis Predominant Type A biasOne instance of stand alone Type

C

Bias Analysis AOf the 14 Type A bias 8 were due to P.R.

Chritensen Member of the THEMIS team (NASA

satellites to study energy releases from Earth's magnetosphere)

Worked with Mars Student Imaging Project for the all of studies using images of mars

Any paper I looked at which used THEMIS imaging has P.R. Christensen as an author

Bias Analysis CMars Reconnaissance Orbiter's

High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE)

Eliason EM (Eliason, Eric M.) worked with H.Y. McSween

Evidences for a Noachian-Hesperian orogeny in Mars

2006

Media coverageHigher the impact factor= more results +

increased chance of media coverage Due to the nature of citing articles,

(geology of mars). Press coverage was limited to journal PR, esoteric

One instance of media coverage=Science Exception of ‘water on mars’ type stories

resulting from “Detection of Hydrated Silicates in Crustal Outcrops in the Northern Plains of Mars” (no citation bias)

AlphaGalileo

ScienceDaily

Hindu Times Editorial

BBC