LORANDOS: Now doctor, you agree that the practice of your profession can advance no further than the availability of basic research to support it, correct?
Witness: Correct.
LORANDOS: And just as the practice of medicine ultimately depends on basic research in the life sciences, such as biology and chemistry, the practice of your profession depends upon basic research in the behavioral sciences, such as psychology and sociology, correct?
Witness: Correct.
LORANDOS: And practicing professionals, such as yourself, are ethically obligated to maintain a working familiarity with merging research in your field, correct?
Witness: Correct
LORANDOS: And the ethical standard of psychologists, for example standard 1.05 of the 1992 ethical code, is entitled maintaining expertise, correct?
Witness: I think that's right.
LORANDOS: And in fact it says, quote, "Psychologists who engage in assessment, therapy, teaching, research, organizational consultation, or other professional activities maintain a reasonable level of awareness of current scientific and professional information in their field of activity and undertake ongoing efforts to maintain competence in the skills they use, correct?
Witness: Correct.
LORANDOS: And if the expert is a social worker, the ethical standard 4.01b and 4.01c, in the 1997 ethical code for social workers, addresses competence correct?
Witness: I think so. I haven't looked at it lately, but I think that's correct.
LORANDOS: And indeed if we read the code for social workers 4.01b, quote, "Social workers should strive to become and remain proficient in professional practice and the performance of professional functions. Social workers should critically examine and keep current with emerging knowledge relevant to social work. Social workers should routinely review the professional literature and participate in continuing education relevant to social work practice and social work ethics," correct?
Witness: Correct.
LORANDOS: And ethical standard 4.01c states, quote, "Social workers should base practice on recognized knowledge, including empirically based knowledge relevant to social work and social work ethics," correct?
Witness: Yes, correct.
LORANDOS: And if the witness is a marriage and family counselor, ethical standard 3.04 of the 1998 ethical code for marriage and family therapists addressing professional competence and integrity states, "Marriage and family therapists remain abreast of new developments in family therapy, knowledge, and practice through educational activities," correct?
Witness: Yes, that is correct.
LORANDOS: And familiarity with peer review journals can assist a professional in maintaining a reasonable level of expertise and awareness of current scientific and professional information, correct?
Witness: Yes.
LORANDOS: A peer review journal typically relies on a board of editors to review articles submitted for publication, correct?
Witness: Yes, correct.
LORANDOS: And articles submitted to a peer review journal for publication are reviewed independently by at least three different editors, correct?
Witness: I think that's the case, yes.
LORANDOS: Indeed. And typically those editors reviewing the submitted article don't know who wrote it, correct?
Witness: That's right, yes.
LORANDOS: And after reviewing a submitted article, each editor makes recommendations, such as; publish as is, correct?
Witness: Yes.
LORANDOS: Or publish with minor revisions, correct?
Witness: Correct.
LORANDOS: Or, publication will necessitate major revisions, correct?
Witness: Yes.
LORANDOS: Or currently not suitable for publication, correct?
Witness: That can be another outcome, yes.
LORANDOS: And sometimes, resubmit with changes and reorganization, correct?
Witness: Yes.
LORANDOS: Okay. Now peer review, therefore, amounts to a valuable source of quality control regarding what is published in peer review journals, correct?
Witness: Yeah.
LORANDOS: Peer review processing encourages the publication of articles that make a significant contribution to your field, correct?
Witness: Hopefully so, yes.
LORANDOS: And the peer review process discourages the publication of articles amounting to junk-science, correct?
Witness: Again, hopefully so, yes.
LORANDOS: And controversial articles published in peer review journals are ethically obligated to cite other articles that have a contrary position, correct?
Witness: Yes.
LORANDOS: In other words, peer reviewed articles are obligated to present a fair and complete review of existing literature relating to the topic the particular article addresses, correct?
Witness: Yes.
LORANDOS: And sometimes authors whose work appears in peer review journals also write chapters in books on the same subject, correct?
Witness: Yes.
LORANDOS: And books or chapters written by those who have had other work published in peer review journals can be considered generally recognized and accepted in your field as well, correct?
Witness: I think so, yes.
