The Role of Metadiscourse in Negotiating Trust in the Communication of Science by Blog

Abstract

Advocates for open systems in science make claims for their efficient collaboration and transparent communication. Although these characteristics are consistent with the traditional norms of science, the implementation of open systems has had mixed effects, particularly on the role of trust. This case study of the published correspondence in research journals suggests that when communication moves from traditional print systems to open on-line systems, two levels of trust arise, one at the discourse level and another at the metadiscourse level. The coincidence and conflation of discourse in these two registers both ameliorate and trouble trust in the communication of science. Taken together, these methodological issues raise doubts about the validity of Wolfe-Simon et al.’s assertion … (Redfield, 2011). I don’t know whether the authors are just bad scientists or whether they’re unscrupulously pushing NASA’s ‘There’s life in outer space!’ agenda (Redfield, 2010).