STUDY: Ten Myths of Scientific Collaboration

From this book, here are 10 myths of scientific collaboration...

Big Myths...

  • ICTs improve collaboration
  • Larger collaborations are more rigid & hierarchical (No -- on matters pertaining to the generation of scientific research, they are not. Size is less significant than we suspected.)
  • Outcomes of a collaboration determine success.
  • Collaborations are based on Trust. (Trust has no influence on outcomes.)


Other Myths...

  • Co-authorship tells us important things about collaboration
  • We can learn from high energy physics. (Not typical - Physics is only typical of high-energy physics. Not a model.)
  • Collaboration is a necessity
  • Collaborations are formed by people who know each other.
  • Collaborations benefit everyone (e.g., Matthew effect).
  • Benefits of collaboration are greater than the costs. (Believe it -- but it isn’t true.)