banner

Content Guidelines and Submission Form

So what do we mean by scientific integrity?

We don't want you to spend a lot of time creating a cartoon that isn't appropriate for this contest. Therefore, we've put together these guidelines to help you understand the topics that UCS would like you to tackle—and the topics that are outside of the contest's scope. A link to the submission form can be found at the bottom of this page.

Topics to address
The subject of the cartoons must relate to political interference in science in the federal government. UCS defines political interference in science as action by public officials to manipulate, alter, or suppress independent government science; inappropriately restrict or censor government scientists; or otherwise exert greater political control over the scientific process.

Cartoons should fit into one of the following three categories: 

1.  What should the next president do to protect and promote a thriving federal scientific enterprise? As we look forward with hope and anticipation to the possibilities that come with a new administration, how can the next president be a champion for science? What can we do to protect science?  These cartoons can be based on our actual solutions, but could also poke fun at those who don’t follow the rules. You can learn more about solutions to restore scientific integrity to policymaking in our report Federal Science and the Public Good. Some specific ideas include: 

  • Restoring freedom of speech to government scientists
  • Promoting scientific openness, or transparency in the way government conducts science and incorporates scientific   
    information into its policies
  • Removing excessive control over federal government information by the White House (including the White House Office of 
    Management and Budget) 
  • Creating a positive, open culture for science at federal agencies
  • Reduce conflicts of interest (conflicts between a person's private interests and public obligations). For example, a scientist who works for a pharmaceutical company should not be asked by the government to evaluate the safety of her company’s drugs. Or a power plant lobbyist should not be appointed to a position that regulates the coal industry. 
2. What are the consequences of a government that abuses science and scientists? What scientific advances would we have missed if scientists weren’t allowed to do their jobs? If the next president doesn’t reverse this dangerous trend, what results await the U.S. public?
  • The positive contributions that science has made to U.S. society that are at risk
  • The importance of science to our health, safety, and environment 
  • The impact of the abuse of science on our everyday lives 
  • The effect of political interference on our nation's scientific capacity and scientific agencies 
 3. What is political interference in science? How has the government interfered in the past? Specific topics could include:
  • Suppression, distortion, and manipulation of scientific information 
  • Specific examples of how science has been misused, available in the A to Z Guide to Political Interference in Science and the Federal Science and the Public Good report. 
  • The tension between politics and science
  • Cutting science from decision making processes (for example, on air quality) 
  • The centralizing of power in the White House as officials exert greater control over federal science
This year, we are especially interested in cartoons that focus on possible solutions to the problem of political interference in science. We know that the next president will be crucial to repairing the damage that has been done to federal agencies; we need to make sure this issue is on their radar screen.

Political interference in science has impacted some of today's most pressing issues. From knowing what toxic chemicals are being released in our communities to the censorship of federal climate scientists, to White House control over scientific information, there are many issues to editorialize in your cartoons.   

    Topics to Avoid
    There are several topics related to the role of science in our society that do not fit with the intended mission of this contest.  Topics that we consider to be outside the purview of this contest include:

    • The morality of specific scientific issues such as stem cell research or cloning 
    • The teaching of evolution 
    • The ethical lapses of individual scientists 
    • Corporate interference in private sector science (although corporate interference in federal government science—for example, pressure on government agencies or scientists, inappropriate collusion with government officials, or the "revolving door" between government and industry—would be appropriate for the contest)

    We also ask that cartoons avoid personally or explicitly attacking specific politicians or entire political parties; the primary focus of the content should always be on issues of scientific integrity. We also hope that your submissions will reflect the true diversity of the scientific community and of our nation as a whole. 

    We hope these guidelines have given you appropriate direction. Please submit your cartoons by using the Science Idol Cartoon Submission Form! 

    We will notify finalists by July 9, 2008.

    Still have questions? View the full official contest rules.