In the very early this year on Twitter, an hashtag, #overlyhonestmethods, came out to show that scientists do have the sense of humor. Here are some tristillated tweets for you.
We didn't report error bars because, frankly, none of us knew how to use the relevant module in Excel. #overlyhonestmethods
— Curious Wavefunction (@curiouswavefn) January 9, 2013
Bacteria were cultured in a shaking incubator with frequent verbal encouragement to "Grow, you bastards, grow!" #overlyhonestmethods
— Chris (@DrChrisKellogg) January 9, 2013
The reaction was complete when the compound changed to green & the crazy Russian postdoc said it tasted 'OK' #overlyhonestmethods
— Dr Paul Coxon (@paulcoxon) January 8, 2013
We thank NIH 2341F grant for A.H.R's fellowship. But we actually used money from R.H.A's NSF 5432G grant. #overlyhonestmethods
— Aki (@AkshatRathi) January 8, 2013
After the biological sample was dropped on the floor, the 3 second rule was applied. #overlyhonestmethods
— Daniel Siddle (@The_Shed) January 9, 2013
The yield was only 34% after I dropped the flask and did a "floor extraction" #OverlyHonestMethods
— Dr. Jay (@Doctor_Galactic) January 9, 2013
Outliers were removed in a stepwise fashion until the regression became significant #overlyhonestmethods
— James Gilbert (@james_gilbert) January 9, 2013
Awesome #overlyhonestmethods, from http://t.co/LWeiaYnrnK: pic.twitter.com/PPJQdougHQ
— Hannes Claeys (@hannesclaeys) August 5, 2013
Honesty is the best policy, right? #OverlyHonestMethods http://t.co/SzyDBJReEY
— mitcho (@themitcho) July 16, 2013
Reactions were run at 17 °C as that was room temp. in the building when climate controls failed. #OverlyHonestMethods pic.twitter.com/VUfZ3R0hmv
— Jon Lam (@tyrannos00r) March 16, 2013
"Blood samples were spun at 1500 rpm because the centrifuge made a scary noise at higher speeds" #overlyhonestmethods http://t.co/7ossuujO
— Justin Lacko (@piranesian) February 9, 2013
I let it react for 20 minutes because that's how long it took me to eat lunch. #overlyhonestmethods #chemmajorprobz
— Chem Major Problems (@Chemmajorprobz) February 7, 2013
We would've run rest of the experiments necessary to answer this question but the instrument belongs to lab next door #overlyhonestmethods
— Sarah Hörst (@PlanetDr) January 14, 2013
"Experiment was repeated until we had three statistically significant similar results and could discard the outliers" #overlyhonestmethods
— David C Logan (@angerstusson) January 7, 2013
We didn’t show the structure because we forgot to patent it so only three people actually know what it is. #overlyhonestmethods
— Hassan Mamdani (@HassanMamdani) January 8, 2013
We varied functional group of synthesised molecule following the '-methyl, -ethyl, -futile' experimental methodology #overlyhonestmethods
— Simon Leigh (@Simonleighuk) January 8, 2013
We decided to use Technique Y because it's new and sexy, plus hot and cool. And because we could. #overlyhonestmethods
— biochem belle (@biochembelle) January 7, 2013
I can't send you the original data because I don't remember what my excel file names mean anymore #overlyhonestmethods
— Morgan Edwards (@mangoedwards) January 8, 2013
Sample was agitated overnight by sticking the eppendorf onto the vortex mixer with blu-tac. #overlyhonestmethods
— Thin Man (@Tinpot) January 8, 2013
Buffers were prepared with the stock solutions inherited from the PhD student who left the lab a couple of years ago. #overlyhonestmethods
— Anne Osterrieder (@AnneOsterrieder) January 8, 2013
I used that specific sequence of biotinylated DNA because I found some in the freezer. #overlyhonestmethods
— Myles Power (@powerm1985) January 8, 2013
We verified our findings with [very difficult technique] because it seemed like a good idea at the time. #overlyhonestmethods
— Liam Cheeseman (@SciencyCheese) January 8, 2013
Experimental results are reproducible – on Thursdays #overlyhonestmethods
— Tharindi H (@tharindi_h) January 8, 2013
Samples were prepared under cleanroom conditions, after removing the pile of dirt behind the big machine. #overlyhonestmethods
— Knut Behrends (@sudo_f) January 8, 2013
We used a Monte Carlo randomisation because we know how to program but dropped out of stats class. #overlyhonestmethods
— Simon Kirby (@SimonKirby) January 11, 2013
this experiment system is lousy, inconsistent and exasperation inducing. but better than all the others. #overlyhonestmethods #truth
— Becca (@sciliz) January 8, 2013
reactions were preformed at lab room temperature i.e. TOO DAMN COLD #overlyhonestmethods #truth
— Becca (@sciliz) January 8, 2013
The temperature controller on the spectrometer wouldn't go any lower in July, so this is the temperature we used. #overlyhonestmethods
— Sarah Cady (@sarahdcady) January 8, 2013
An absolutely true #overlyhonestmethods in a protocol someone gave me once: "We added 888 uL because it's a lucky number in China."
— Eva Amsen (@easternblot) January 8, 2013
Computer simulation was run because not even a graduate student was crazy enough to set up 10,000 experimental points #overlyhonestmethods
— Adriana Heguy (@AdrianaHeguy) January 8, 2013
We developed these unrealistic simulations because we couldn’t be bothered going out in the field for more sampling. #overlyhonestmethods
— Bastian Greshake (@gedankenstuecke) January 8, 2013
Samples were prepared by our collaborators at MIT. We assumed no contamination because, well… they're MIT #overlyhonestmethods
— Dr Paul Coxon (@paulcoxon) January 8, 2013
"The tube was thawed at 37 degrees celsius". I tucked it into my bra because I was running late for lab meeting. #overlyhonestmethods
— Stephanie Swift (@swift528491) January 11, 2013
"The data was plotted on a log-log graph because the points didn't line up otherwise and we started trying anything." #overlyhonestmethods
— Matt Parker (@standupmaths) January 11, 2013
There's a few more relevant studies, but my library doesn't have electronic access, so I'm pretending they don't exist #OverlyHonestMethods
— Peter Tennant (@PWGTennant) January 11, 2013
HAHAHAHA: "We did not make the corrections suggested by Reviewer 1 because we think Reviewer 1 is a f***ing idiot." #overlyhonestmethods
— Khalil A. Cassimally (@notscientific) January 11, 2013
Our enzyme was proven to be stable for over 3 hours because that's how long I forgot to put it back in the fridge #overlyhonestmethods
— Andrea F. I. (@meandaticket) January 11, 2013
Field collections were done on sunny days averaging 24 degrees C because those were the ideal conditions for tanning. #overlyhonestmethods
— K. Bickerman-Martens (@kebick) January 10, 2013
We used female rats because the undergrad couldn't stop laughing at the size of the males' testicles. #overlyhonestmethods
— SubSAMpling (@SubSAMpling) January 10, 2013
Coffee did more for this project than the Principal Investigator. #overlyhonestmethods
— Noah Gray (@noahWG) January 10, 2013
We thank the Editors of @NatureMagazine and @sciencemagazine for reviewing early versions of the manuscript #OverlyHonestMethods
— David Gibson (@DavidJohnGibson) January 10, 2013
Aliquots were collected at: 1, 5, 30 and "Crap, I totally forgot about that" minutes. #overlyhonestmethods
— Adam Feinberg (@ItsAlwaysAdam) January 10, 2013
Samples were randomized by allowing my cat to walk all over my computer keyboard. #OverlyHonestMethods
— Alexandra M (@ItsAFez66) January 9, 2013
The experiment was randomised because I realised I had forgotten to label anything halfway through #OverlyHonestMethods
— the lemniscate (@lemniscatic) January 9, 2013
Additional variables were not considered because everyone involved is tired of working on this paper. #overlyhonestmethods
— Seth Zenz (@sethzenz) January 9, 2013
I used students as subjects because rats are expensive and you get too attached to them #overlyhonestmethods
— Anthony Finkelstein (@profserious) January 9, 2013
This research was made possible with the help of the undergrad teaching labs, from where we stole all our glassware #overlyhonestmethods
— Dr Paul Coxon (@paulcoxon) January 9, 2013
Sample from Darwin's bird specimen was protected from light except when 3rd author peeked in & made squee-ing sounds #overlyhonestmethods
— Karen James (@kejames) January 9, 2013
We used Bayesian latent variable multilevel regression because only flashy new methods get published in this journal #overlyhonestmethods
— Rob Ford (@robfordmancs) January 9, 2013