There’s been a discussion on various blogs about just what a science blog should be – why write one, & what should be in it? It followed the suggestion by one writer that if a blog didn’t deal exclusively with peer-reviewed research, then it wasn’t a science blog. Everyone else that I’ve read was pretty much against that proposition, but it did get me thinking – why do I write the bioblog?
One – very minor! – reason was that the University was looking at blogging as a way of reaching out to students, & my Dean had suggested that I was someone who might be interested in getting into that area. But my interest was already there.
Why? Because I already do a lot of outreach-type stuff, with school teachers & students, & I'd been thinking about blogging for a while as a way of extending that work. I do try to keep most of the posts at least generally related to either L3 Bio or Scholarship students, in terms of content or of stimulating a particular line of thought, or way of thinking. And I'd like to think that anyone reading it found it useful from that perspective.
So that's why I got started – but now I find I really like it. As I said, I'd like to think that the things I write are useful to teachers & students – but I would do it anyway. I find biology endlessly fascinating & exciting, & I want to share that with whoever happens along & stumbles upon this site. (I think even if no-one read it, I'd still write, because it's a good discipline & a way to focus your thoughts on an issue. But I hope folks read it, because I do want to share my sense of enjoyment & excitement.) Sometimes I'll write about peer-reviewed science papers, when one catches my eye because it's relevant to what I want to write about – or because it's got a catchy or quirky title! Sometimes I might talk about a more general topic: the nature of science, a bit of science history; things like that. Or maybe just link to another good site, as I've done from time to time. And occasionally I'll get on my soapbox: creationism and other forms of pseudoscience will see me up there from time to time. Whatever – it's all science, & it's all fun 🙂