August 1, 2013 (Vol. 33, No. 14)
URL:
http://ori.hhs.gov/education/products/RIandImages
Rating:
Strong Points: Great organization, lots of useful information
Weak Points: None
Summary:
Digital images are a critical component of biological research and ensuing publications. Most researchers are aware of common programs such as Photoshop and ImageJ that are available for image viewing and editing; however, the “best practices” guidelines for how researchers should (and should not) edit their digital images are likely less well understood by most. The Online Learning Tool for Research Integrity and Image Processing (phew—say that 10 times fast) website was designed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham to disseminate information about appropriate image processing among the scientific community. To do so, the site includes example “do” and “do not” images. It discusses specific guidelines and questionable practices, and also provides case studies for further discussion among readers. The site is nicely organized and contains a wealth of valuable information that should be read by all scientists.