Code and data from: Perceived and observed biases within scientific communities: a case study in movement ecology

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This contains model code and data from the paper titled "Perceived and observed biases within scientific communities: a case study in movement ecology" By: Shaw AK, Fouda L, Mezzini S, Kim D, Chatterjee N, Wolfson D, Abrahms B, Attias N, Beardsworth CE, Beltran R, Binning SA, Blincow KM, Chan Y-C, Fronhofer EA, Hegemann A, Hurme ER, Iannarilli F, Kellner JB, McCoy KD, Rafiq K, Saastamoinen M, Sequeira AMM, Serota MW, Sumasgutner P, Tao Y, Torstenson M, Yanco SW, Beck KB, Bertram MG, Beumer LT, Bradarić M, Clermont J, Ellis-Soto D, Faltusová M, Fieberg J, Hall RJ, Kölzsch A, Lai S, Lee-Cruz L, Loretto M-C, Loveridge A, Michelangeli M, Mueller T, Riotte-Lambert L, Sapir N, Scacco M, Teitelbaum CS, Cagnacci F Published in: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Abstract: Who conducts biological research, where, and how results are disseminated varies among geographies and identities. Identifying and documenting these forms of bias by research communities is a critical step towards addressing them. We documented perceived and observed biases in movement ecology, a rapidly expanding sub-discipline of biology, which is strongly underpinned by fieldwork and technology use. We surveyed attendees before an international conference to assess a baseline within-discipline perceived bias (uninformed perceived bias). We analysed geographic patterns in Movement Ecology articles, finding discrepancies between the country of the authors’ affiliation and study site location, related to national economics. We analysed race-gender identities of USA biology researchers (the closest-to-our-sub-discipline with data available), finding that they differed from national demographics. Finally, we discussed the quantitatively-observed bias at the conference, to assess within-discipline perceived bias informed with observational data (informed perceived bias). Although the survey indicated most conference participants as bias-aware, conversations only covered a subset of biases. We discuss potential causes of bias (parachute-science, fieldwork accessibility), solutions, and the need to evaluate mitigatory action effectiveness. Undertaking data-driven analysis of bias within sub-disciplines can help identify specific barriers and move towards the inclusion of a greater diversity of participants in the scientific process.

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External Organisations
University of New Brunswick; University of British Columbia; Wildlife Institute of India; Wild Animal Conservation Institute; Liverpool John Moores University; University of Montreal; Swiss Ornithological Institute; Université de Montpellier; Lund University; University of Konstanz; Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior; Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Écologie, Génétique, Évolution et Contrôle; University of Washington; University of Helsinki; University of Western Australia; University of Vienna; University of Georgia; University of Minnesota Twin Cities; Yale University; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; The University Centre in Svalbard; University of Amsterdam; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague; University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna; Goethe University Frankfurt; CNRS; University of Haifa

Associated Persons
Allison K Shaw (Creator); Leila Fouda (Creator); Stefano Mezzini (Creator); Dongmin Kim (Creator); Nilanjan Chatterjee (Creator); David Wolfson (Creator); Briana Abrahms (Creator); Nina Attias (Creator); Christine Beardsworth (Creator); Roxanne Beltran (Creator); Sandra Binning (Creator); Kayla Blincow (Creator); Ying-Chi Chan (Creator); Emanuel A. Fronhofer (Creator); Arne Hegemann (Creator); Edward Hurme (Creator); Fabiola Iannarilli (Creator); Julie Kellner (Creator); Karen D McCoy (Creator); Kasim Rafiq (Creator); Marjo Saastamoinen (Creator); Mitchell Serota (Creator); Petra Sumasgutner (Creator); Yun Tao (Creator); Martha Torstenson (Creator); Scott Yanco (Creator); Kristina Beck (Creator); Michael Bertram (Creator); Larissa Teresa Beumer (Creator); Maja Bradarić (Creator); Jeanne Clermont (Creator); Diego Ellis Soto (Creator); Monika Faltusová (Creator); John Fieberg (Creator); Richard Hall (Creator); Andrea Kölzsch (Creator); Sandra Lai (Creator); Larisa Lee-Cruz (Creator); Matthias-Claudio Loretto (Creator); Alexandra Loveridge (Creator); Marcus Michelangeli (Creator); Thomas Mueller (Creator); Louise Riotte-Lambert (Creator); Nir Sapir (Creator); Martina Scacco (Creator); Claire S. Teitelbaum (Creator); Francesca Cagnacci (Creator)