EMBL Forum Science and Society Seminar: Emma Frow - In images we trust

A crisis of trust? Setting guidelines for image processing in scientific journals

Emma Frow, Arizona State University (19 June 2015)

In this talk, Emma Frow addresses a contemporary debate in scientific publishing. Journal editors are increasingly concerned about how scientists use digital image-processing software to prepare images for publication. The growing availability of software like Photoshop means that images can easily be adjusted to emphasize key aspects of experimental results, or to create a more aesthetically pleasing image.

To some, these practices threaten the credibility of images in research papers. In response, several journals are developing guidelines for authors to follow when preparing images, and are hiring ‘forensic experts’ to screen for inappropriate practice. I will offer some examples of image manipulation and journal responses, and use these to explore the crisis of trust being triggered by digital technologies.

Established in 1998, the principal aim of the Science and Society initiative at EMBL is to promote a better and broader understanding of the growing social and cultural relevance of the life sciences. We invite speakers – experts within various disciplines of science and the humanities – on a regular basis to the EMBL to give public lectures on topics of interest.