Dear scientists, When a journalist asks you a question about your research, "read the paper" is not an appropriate response.

I'd rather look at pictures.

“RTFP” is the new RTFM

Fully agree. But also, who responds this way? Anyone asks me about my work, they're not gonna get me to shut up!

If your goal is to be told "I did, but the paper was horribly written", it might be the perfect response.

But also, journalists, when you’re writing about a scientific paper, include a link to it. Yes, even if it’s paywalled. And this goes doubly/triply for university press offices. What else is the point of what you’re doing??

As a journalist who has had some rather odd responses from academics who I've queried about their research, I agree! I understand it from the ones who get their research from the oil and gas industry but some other responses have been puzzling.

who the damn answered that?... I wouldn't want to take classes with him that's for sure :S

I don’t even tell my colleagues to read my papers… inflicting that on a well-meaning journalist is just cruel. (Also, yes, 100% agreed!)

What a rude thing to say