Would you reference a film in a scientific report and if so how?

[ShutUpAlex]

There’s a film that’s very relevant to a paper I’m writing but not sure if it would be appropriate to include and if so how I would do that. I want to highlight it as a pop culture reference that shows significantly basically what I’m trying to prove in my paper. I don’t want to go into it too much here as I’m fairly sure my supervisor is a mumsnetter!

Aibu to include it or should I leave it out?

Yes I’m thinking about how human trust in AI will likely be heavily influenced by how interactions are depicted in films.

@Pedalpushers

I would include something like that if the tone was along the lines of 'society has speculated heavily on the possible future of x with imagined possibilities ranging from y (captured in the 20xx film HER) to z (some other piece of writing). Use it as an example of people's thoughts towards the tech, not as a true example of what could happen.

That sounds perfect to me.

You really need to avoid any inkling of blurring the line between science and science fiction here, OP.

If you're not very careful, any reference to fiction could damage your credibility to some extent, however slight.

You could ask for a zoom recording to be shared with you if they are being held with a group, and to submit questions via email for each week - just a thought. It is hard when staff may have commitments outside of office hours that make flexibility more difficulty but they should be responding to emails.

@ShutUpAlex

Yes I’m thinking about how human trust in AI will likely be heavily influenced by how interactions are depicted in films.

Ah! Then I was probably teaching granny to suck eggs with my suggestion. Sorry

@CuriousaboutSamphire not at all! You’ve helped me organise my mad thoughts

Trying to write a dissertation with morning sickness and baby brain is rather chaotic!

Doesn't you uni library have online libguides for things like referencing? Most do. The link earlier in the thread is to an 11yr old document describing APA 5th edition. We're onto the 7th edition now.

Here is a link to one uni libguide that gives you the correct, 7th edition, answer

Can you find the original sources that the films were derived from - it's just because a film isn't really a good source of quality and reproducible work. So perhaps put information in, quite original papers then say as visualised in the film xyz or the film xyz depicts what may happen under these circumstances if it happened ... that type of thing but is personally have a proper paper or research document in mind

It's not my area of education but is most defintiely an area of interest, I've been reading pulp sci fi since I was a kid. So your topic caught my interest instantly. I do think Dick and Asimov would be good places to start, given the age of their stuff.

Another would be the modern Pinocchio story by Brian Aldiss "Supertoys Last All Summer Long" a childlike android uniquely programmed with the ability to love. It was used as the basis for the film AI. The original short story makes me cry every time I read it. Even the wiki synopsis does... a mother's love, the love of a child

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supertoys_Last_All_Summer_Long

I referenced films in my dissertation, but mine was a historical reputation study so quite a bit different.

I’d say the way that you have mentioned about bringing it in on your introduction would work well though. It sounds really interesting and I think referencing the film at the start might actually make your topic sound relevant in pop culture right now.

It’s terrible that you dissertation supervisor isn’t replying to your emails, I’d definitely be complaining about that.