> The study examined the correlation between the > quality of professors' > academic affiliations (measured using U.S. News & > World Report rankings and > Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching > classifications) and > three measures of ideological orientation: > self-identification on a > "right-left" scale, political-party designation, and > self-reported > attitudes concerning abortion, the environment, and > several other political > and ideological topics.
> "We did validate the notion that conservatives are > discriminated against," > Mr. Rothman said in an interview. "No one has ever > done that before." Perhaps the poor showing of conservatives in the academic hierarchy has to do with failure to grasp the elementary methodological principle that correlation doesn't imply causation. "Methodologically flawed" would be the kindest thing one could say about this sort of ideological log-rolling excerise. In addition to the correlation problem, I would seriously question the validity of a "left-right" scale and self-reported attitude surveys. Political subjectivity is a complex topic in its own right. If these folks assume they can slot form fillers into two pre-conceived ideological categories then they may not qualify for admission to a top tier school, let alone hiring. This would have been more believable had it appeared in the Onion. The Sandwichman ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca
