[csrscience.com]

I've always wondered if the average chemist reports most of their experiments, improvised labware, and other lab related activities to an online communities for others to view?

If not, why don't you? and what would encourage you to report what you do in the lab to an online community?

thanks!

[cth]

No. Particularly, failed experiments are very rarely reported in publications.
When one reads a scientific publication, results may seem straight forward and simple. Easy chemistry. Actually, this "easy" chemistry is often the product of several months of struggle in the lab to get the reactions to work properly, the stuff to finally crystallise after hundreds of trials... It is highly frustrating sometimes.

In the case where you just can't get a reaction to work, there is nothing to be published. Publishing failed experiments is not rewarding, so people don't do it.

Sometimes, you get unexpected results that do not fit with your research theme. They may be interesting data, but they don't get published because they are incomplete. For example, I work in crystal engineering. Regularly, you solve crystal structures which are completely different from what you expect. Interesting, yes, but so much off from everything else we do that those structures go to sleep in a draw, waiting to be used in the future, maybe...

what would encourage you to report what you do in lab to an online community?

I don't know.
Publications are important for academical career but you can't publish half finished results.
And it takes a lot of effort to write a paper, so it is not always worth it with weak data.
  unavoidably, there is always some left over stuff that stay unpublished. 

[csrscience.com]

Interesting, thanks for that bit of input

Yeah, see I am working on a forum or a few that I'd like to get people to publish most of their experiments.

Think it would be good to start a Failed Experiments Thread - that might serve to be useful to the members...

The best I've come up with so far is to perhaps get lab companies to give rewards for good science. This could motivate people to report the successes they've had in the laboratory, and give the company a good name - so that would be a win win situation - plus others would be able to enjoy the content the person produced so it would really be a win win win situation.

You'd have to have it be in a contest form though to keep it practical. So this is why I am curious about other ways to motivate people to post their lab works.

[Borek]

As far as I know there were several (?) attempts to start a "Fail Journal" intended as a serious scientific publication. They all followed the name and failed.

[csrscience.com]

I see.. Hm interesting.

Are there many experimenters on this board?

[408]

Ex experimenter here.  I now do the chemistry I enjoy most for the purposes of gaining a PhD, no time for home chemistry any more.

I used to post heavily my experiments on another board.

[csrscience.com]

I see. That is how I sorta am, I've been busy but I still try to get experiments done. They drag on for ever though

[billnotgatez]

I thought everyone hates paperwork

[marquis]

Frequently, in industrial situations, you are prohibited from publishing your work.  It is considered proprietary information.  The number of signatures required from the corporation for an official publication is huge.  Unless there is some advantage to the corporation (say publicity for a product), the request is normally refused.

[csrscience.com]

Well, I was mostly referring to the things home chemists do for fun.. not industrial or university stuff.

[billnotgatez]

I thought everyone hates paperwork

My post here was short and flippant.
I see several reasons why someone would not bother to publish including on a blog.

Not in a publish or parish situation
Not being paid to do the paperwork after the fun of tinkering
Prohibited by someone
Not keeping sufficient notes to do it properly
Not wanting to post something that may expose you to ridicule or legal action
Not having a good editor to help with the publication
Fear of having your experiment stolen

I bet given some time I could add much more.

In any case, in my experience when you do it right, the process of doing the experiment in a defensible manner and writing it up is an arduous process.
 

[csrscience.com]

But as home chemists, do you mostly post what you do on the internet?

[billnotgatez]

I do not blog brag, but others may and I would not complain.
I would support most any foray into science experimentation by others.
But, if what you do is not peer or editor reviewed then it is just a blog.

[csrscience.com]

It is really helpful though, look at some of the things from sciencemadness publications.. Very nice, and very helpful.