No evidence that equations cause impeded communication among biologists
- YouKaryote Genomics, London, ON, Canada N6K 0A1
In their recent contribution to PNAS, Fawcett and Higginson (1) analyzed article equation density with respect to citation rate. The observed negative correlation is used to conclude that “equation density has a strong negative impact on citation rates,” which then “presumably impedes the wider dissemination of theoretical predictions” (1). This conclusion is incorrect as it mistakes correlation for causation.
Although the correlation is found to be significant, no evidence of causality is shown. It is plausible that equations cause low citation rates via impeded communication. However, equations are used specifically to communicate with …
↵1E-mail: andrew{at}youkaryote.com.
