Director of the Janette Ogg Voice Research Center and Associate Professor of Voice (Baritone) and Voice Pedagogy David Meyer, D.M., collaborated with Bowling Green State University Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Ron Scherer, Ph.D., to publish a peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Singing. The article, “Practical Science: Reading and Evaluating Scientific Papers” (https://doi.org/10.53830/DXEV2589) helps the reader better understand and evaluate research publications, particularly those related to the science of the singing voice.
Three main topics were discussed: 1) the basic structure of a scientific paper, 2) a method for quickly reading and understanding scientific papers, and 3) a method for evaluating voice science publications. A fictitious ChatGPT-generated study (examining the effects of eating french fries on a common aerodynamic measure of singing) was critiqued with the authors’ method.
Reading scientific studies is a learned skill that may feel effortful, particularly in the beginning, but evidence-based methods are emerging in the literature that aid the teaching process and improve learning. The authors hope that the tools and techniques discussed in this article will help the reader enjoy the real-world benefits of science in the practice room, teaching studio, rehearsal hall, and concert stage.
Visit www.davidmeyervoice.com to learn more about Dr. Meyer.
Dr. Scherer teaches voice disorders and voice and speech science courses. His research interests include the physiology, mechanics, and acoustics of basic, abnormal, and performance sound production, and physical and computer modeling of phonation. He is a fellow of the Acoustical Society of America, the American Speech Language Hearing Association, and the International Society of Phonetic Sciences. In 2020 he was awarded the Johan Sundberg—Ingo R. Titze Award for Creativity in Voice Science.