Referee's report by George Howard Darwin, on a paper 'A biometrical study of conjugation in paramaecium' by Raymond Pearl

Description

Sectional Committee: Zoology

Does not see how he can report usefully on this paper as the subject is biological and he has no special knowledge of it. The paper does not seem to contain any original contributions to statistical method on which he might have been able to form an opinion. The author uses Karl Pearson's formulae but he cannot undertake to verify that he had done so correctly. It is notorious that criticism of statistics needs full expert knowledge and careful consideration. He does not have the knowledge and cannot undertake to get up to speed with the subject. He would think Pearson himself would be by far the most competent critic. Thinks the paper is exactly of the character for which the journal 'Biometrika' was founded and thinks it more suited to this publication than Philosophical Transactions. The abstract states clearly the general conclusions and he think as a question of general policy it might be best to publish the abstract in the 'Proceedings [of the Royal Society]', and the full paper in 'Biometrika'. This opinion is not intended to imply any doubt as to the importance of the contribution to science, it is only suggested with the view to publishing the paper where it would prove most useful. If the Committee is of the same opinion this course can only be adopted after consultation with Pearson and Pearl.

[Published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 1906].

Endorsed on verso as received 2 February 1906.

Reference number

RR/16/354

Earliest possible date

31 January 1906

Physical description

Standardised form (type A)

Page extent

2 pages

Format

Manuscript