Stories on good research practices & unacceptable research conduct
which have appeared in the media over recent years:
For articles relating to the subject of climate change research at the University of East Anglia, which received huge media attention prior to and during the Copenhagen summit in December 2009 and led to a series of high profile investigations in 2010, please go to the end of the document. Articles relating to the International Panel on Climate Change (the IPCC)’s climate change research are also provided at the end of the document.
2012:
Misconduct accounts for the majority of retracted scientific publications
http://www.pnas.org/content/109/42/17028.abstract / National Academy of Sciences / October12
Whistleblowing
‘Make it easier to whistleblow while you work - Bullying and fear of being fired may deter staff from lifting lid on scientific misconduct’
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=418745 / Times Higher Education Supplement
(THES) / 19.01.12
Ethics of Self-Plagiarism
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.102689!/file/ith-selfplagiarism-whitepaper.pdf / IThenticate
A large proportion of evidence from human clinical trials is unreported
‘Missing clinical trial data’
http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.d8158 / British Medical Journal / 03.01.12
2011:
Professor fakes data
‘Black hole at heart of star’s collapse’
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=418205
Tilburg professor faked data in at least 30 academic publications
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2011/10/tilburg_professor_faked_data_i.php / THES
DutchNews.nl / 24.11.11
31.10.11
Researcher faces misconduct probe
Suspended academic launches own investigation and decries ‘smear campaign’:
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=417768 / THES / 13.10.11
Unacceptable Research Conduct
‘Supreme comfort for US scientists’
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=415062&c=1 / THES / 03.02.11
2010:
Publication: Science
Perspective – put integrity high on your to do list
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2010_11_05/caredit.a1000106 / Science / Nov.2010
Publication
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) will request all authors who submit manuscripts to complete and submit the ICMJE disclosure form on competing interests/conflicts of interest:
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/304/13/1496 / Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) / 08.10.10
Research Data
Damming the ‘data deluge’ – a workshop aims to bring design to bear on increasingly complex scientific information:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=413722&c=1 / THES / 07.10.10
Unacceptable Research Conduct:
Postdoc destroys the experiments of a colleague in order to get ahead:
www.nature.com/news/2010/100929/full/467516a.html?s=news_rss / Nature / 29.09.10
Unacceptable Research Conduct: Plagiarism
When is self-plagiarism ok?:
www.the-scientist.com/blog/display/57676/ / The Scientist (magazine of the Life Sciences) / 09.09.10
Research Data
Researchers of all stripes should consider the implications of sharing their data:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=413342&c=1 / THES / 09.09.10
Cost of investigating a case of research misconduct:
www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000318 / PLOS Medicine / 17.08.10
Peer review
How some journals are trying to improve the peer review system:
www.the-scientist.com/2010/8/1/36/1/ / The Scientist / 01.08.10
Tie funding to research integrity:
www.nature.com/nature/journal/v466/n7305/full/466436a.html / NATURE
Journal / 22.07.10
Unacceptable Research Conduct: Plagiarism
Journals step up plagiarism policing – CrossCheck software:
www.nature.com/news/2010/100705/full/466167a.html / NATURE Journal / 05.07.10
Unacceptable Research Conduct:
When scientists sin: Fraud, deception and lies in research reveal how science is (mostly) self-correcting:
www.nature.com/scientificamerican/journal/v303/n1/full/scientificamerican0710-34.html / NATURE Journal / July 2010
Communicating to the public in language that can be understood:
Style points:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=412480&c=1 / THES / 15.07.10
Freedom of Information law rules in favour of access to raw data (irrespective of whether or not the raw data forms part of an academic’s published work):
Request hits a raw spot:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=412475&c=2 / THES / 15.07.10
Misrepresentation of research by the media:
‘Facebook causes cancer’? Here is your reward:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=412097 / THES / 17.06.10
Academic misconduct is endemic in some Asian countries
Enter the dragons? Not so fast:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=412038&c=2 / THES / 17.06.10
Conflicts of interest – rules tightening in the USA
US National Institutes of Health to tighten rules on conflicts:
www.nature.com/news/2010/100520/full/news.2010.257.html / NATURE Journal / 20.05.10
Breach of copyright:
Scholar claims copyright breach after Newcastle uses his lecture material:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=411550 / THES / 13.05.10
Journals receiving serious allegations about data
Under suspicion:
www.nature.com/nature/journal/v464/n7293/full/4641245a.html#/ / NATURE
Journal / 28.04.10
Pressures to publish may conflict with researcher’s objectivity and integrity of research
Do pressures to publish increase scientists’ bias? An empirical support from US States data:
www.plosone.org/article/info:doi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0010271 / PLoS One / 21.04.10
Researchers’ publishing behaviours:
Researchers, not their funders, must have the last word on their work:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=410409 / THES / 18.02.10
Retractions from journals:
The Lancet retracts Dr Andrew Wakefield’s MMR paper following the the judgment of the UK GMC’s Fitness to Practise Panel on 28.01.10.
Statement from the Lancet:
www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(10)60175-7/fulltext
Article in the Guardian newspaper:
www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/feb/02/lancet-retracts-mmr-paper / The Lancet
The Guardian / 02.10.10
Increase in the number of retractions by scientific journals & new voluntary guidelines issued for journal editors – ‘Advances on retractions’:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=410050&c=1 / THES / 21.01.10
Ethical codes:
Iphofen, R Do the right thing – Unite; Social science bodies must stop professional protectionism and and draft a common research ethics code:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=409985 / THES / 14.01.10
2009:
Physical infrastructure – factor in aiding collaborative research?
Researchers from the universities of Loughborough, Nottingham Trent & Leicester have concluded an 18 month study of 16 universities in the UK, Australia & the Netherlands which highlights a growing trend towards open plan spaces & their contribution to facilitating collaborative research.
Times Higher article:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=409152&c=1
Research publication ‘The case for new academic workspaces’:
www.academicworkspace.com/images/stories/PDF/TheCaseForNewAcademicWorkspaces.pdf / THES / 19.11.09
Declaring conflicts of interest:
The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) has introduced
new standard requirements for disclosing conflicts of interest for authors of articles submitted to ICMJE member journals: www.icmje.org/format.pdf
A copy of the new disclosure form can be found here: www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf
A completed sample form can be found here: www.icmje.org/sample_disclosure.pdf / ICMJE / November 2009
Increase in commercial funding – one potential consequence:
The independent UK organisation ‘Scientists for global responsibility’ has produced a report ‘Science and the corporate agenda’ which argues that the increasing amount of commercial funding being invested in research is undermining the value of the work coming out of UK universities: www.sgr.org.uk/SciencePolicy/SGR_corp_science_summary.pdf / Scientists for Global Responsibility / 12.10.09
Unacceptable Research Conduct: Misrepresentation
Science journals crack down on image manipulation:
www.nature.com/news/2009/091009/full/news.2009.991.html / Nature / 09.10.09
The 2009 British Science Festival – Challenge of public engagement:
The British Science festival aimed to bolster public understanding of science’s contingencies – the challenge of explaining uncertainty in science to the wider world:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=408447&c=1 / THES / 01.10.09
Researchers’ publishing behaviours:
A new report published by the Research Information Network and JISC examines how and why researchers publish, including the motivations that lead them to publish in different formats and the increase in collaboration and co-authorship. It also explores how researchers decide what to cite and the influence of research assessment on their behaviours and studies:
www.jisc.ac.uk/publications/documents/communicatingknowledgereport.aspx / JISC and the Research Information Network / 24.09.09
Ensuring integrity of digital research data:
‘Ensuring integrity, accessibility & stewardship of research data in the digital age’ - The new book published by the National Academy of Sciences was prompted by a letter in 2006 from the editors of Cell, Science, Nature, and Nature Cell Biology who reported that there was a need to create a dialogue with scientists and initiate a plan for promoting research integrity . The book can be read at:
www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12615#toc / National Academy of Sciences / September 2009
Being misrepresented:
‘Scientists ‘misrepresented in media encouraged to contact minister for help’:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=408272&c=2 / THES / 24.09.09
Peer review – survey of researchers’ views:
Peer review survey 2009: Preliminary findings:
www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/index.php/site/project/395
Sense About Science has released the preliminary findings of its Peer Review Survey 2009, an electronic survey on what researchers think about peer review & its future. The survey was conducted from 28.07.09 – 11.08.09 & 4,037 researchers completed the questionnaire. The full findings of the survey are due to be published in November 2009 / Sense about Science / September 2009
Retractions from journals:
‘Publish or perish factor in spiralling retractions’:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=407838 / THES / 20.08.09
Academic freedom – do not always need positive, unambiguous results:
Give scientists the freedom to be wrong’:
www.telegraph.co.uk/science/6057362/Give-scientists-the-freedom-to-be-wrong.html / The Telegraph / 19.08.09
Academic journals – do they pose a threat in a particular way?
‘Paper chase – do academic journals pose a threat to the advancement of science?’ – citations, metrics, the impact factor – ethical implications:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=407705 / THES / 13.08.09
Ethical issues in robotics research:
‘Danger, danger’ – ethical issues in robotics research:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=407741 / THES / 13.08.09
Unacceptable Research Conduct: Plagiarism
‘Seminal research is pulled for plagiarism’:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=407668 / THES / 06.08.09
Data management & support:
‘We’re going to need back up’
(article about the importance of data management & support available):
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=407547 / THES / 30.07.09
Unacceptable Research Conduct: Plagiarism
‘To catch a plagiarist’
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=407301 / THES / 09.07.09
Unacceptable Research Conduct: Fabrication
Scientists fake findings: Edinburgh University study shows
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6446115.ece
(an analysis of 21 surveys carried out between 1986 and 2005 of more than 11,600 academics across the world has reveal.ed that research fraud may be far more common than previously thought)
Link to original research article in the PloS ONE Journal
(Public Library of Science):
www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0005738 / The Sunday Times / 07.06.09
China & USA – efforts to promote good research practices:
Chinese and US science scholars and educators plan joint ethics education projects:
www.aaas.org/news/releases/2009/0521us_china_ethics.shtml / American Association for the Advancement of Science / 21.05.09
Unacceptable Research Conduct: Misrepresentation
‘Lecturer apologises to researcher for swapping name in grant application’:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=406517§ioncode=26 / THES / 14.05.09
Cultural challenges:
‘Cultural challenges and their effect on international research integrity’
(article published in the Lancet journal):
http://ori.dhhs.gov/documents/Cultural_challenges_and_their_effect_on_international_research_integrity.pdf / The Lancet / 21.02.09
2008:
Collaboration vs ownership/career tension:
‘Spat between rival research teams blamed on ‘science scoop’ pressure’:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=404296 / THES / 13.11.08
Competing interests:
‘Making sense of non-financial competing interests’:
www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.0050199 / Journal:
PLoS Medicine / 30.09.08
Unacceptable Research Conduct: Fraud
‘Cleaning up the act’ (academic fraud within the UK):
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=403288 / THES / 28.08.08
Unacceptable Research Conduct: ‘Repairing research integrity’:
www.nature.com/nature/journal/v453/n7198/full/453980a.html / Journal:
NATURE / 18.06.08
Pressures may lead to damage to quality:
‘Researchers believe results culture puts quality at risk’:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=401425 / THES / 10.04.08
Unacceptable Research Conduct: Misrepresentation
‘Déjà vu: A study of duplicate publications in Medline’:
http://bioinformatics.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/24/2/243 / Journal: Bioinformatics / 2008
2006/7:
Link to many news stories:
Link to many news stories on research integrity which were published in 2006 & 2007 by the following journals: NATURE, the BMJ, the Lancet & Cell:
www.esf.org/activities/esf-conferences/details/2007/confdetail242/references-background-reading.html / Various Journals / 2006 & 2007
Articles relating to the subject of climate change research at the University of East Anglia (UEA), and also the IPCC’s approach, which have attracted intense media scrutiny – what the media has dubbed ‘climategate’:
ARTICLES THAT HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN THE AFTERMATH OF/SINCE
THE INDEPENDENT REVIEWS INTO CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH AT UEA:
Climate change: science’s fresh fight to win over the sceptics
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/14/climate-change-science-email-scandal?INTCMP=SRCH / The Guardian / 14.11.10
Learning how to manage Freedom of Information requests:
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=413766&c=1 / THES / 07.10.10
The Royal Society
Because of the level of interest in the topic the Royal Society has produced a new guide to the science of climate change:
http://royalsociety.org/climate-change-summary-of-science/ / The Royal Society / 30.09.10
ARTICLES THAT HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED UP UNTIL THE CONCLUSION OF
THE INDEPENDENT REVIEWS INTO CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH AT UEA:
And yet it works –the researchers have been exonerated, but details revealed in Climategate led some to demand radical reform of the culture of science:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=412600&c=2 / THES / 22.07.10
The Guardian’s Climate Gate debate – an audio recording:
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/audio/2010/jul/15/guardian-climategate-hacked-emails-debate / The Guardian / 15.07.10
UEA creates reputational guard dog role in wake of ‘Climategate’ report:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=412545&c=1 / THES / 15.07.10
UEA has got a real buzz about it since ‘Climategate’:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=411489 / THES / 06.05.10
The Report of the International Panel set up by the UEA to examine the research of the Climatic Research Unit:
www.uea.ac.uk/mac/comm/media/press/CRUstatements/Report+of+the+Science+Assessment+Panel / UEA / 12.04.10
The House of Commons Report (Parts 1 and 2):
www.shef.ac.uk/ris/gov_ethics_grp/ethics/externallinks.html / House of Commons / 24.03.10
Heated discussions: the email conversations at the heart of ‘Climategate’ suggest a campaign to nobble journals, marginalise climate-change sceptics and withhold data from other researchers:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=410938&c=1 / THES / 25.03.10
UK Parliament Science and Technology Select Committee hearing into the situation (MPs questioned a number of individuals including the Vice Chancellor of the UEA and the Head of UEA’s Climatic Research Unit). The video of the proceedings is at:
www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=5979
(at approximately 1 hour, 5 minutes into the proceedings staff from UEA are subjected to questions) / Houses of Parliament / 01.03.10
Memorandum submitted by the University of East Anglia to the Parliamentary Select Committee:
www.uea.ac.uk/mac/comm/media/press/CRUstatements/submission
‘Climategate’ fallout: shadow of suspicion falls across East Anglia:
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=410426&c=1
Climate consensus under strain:
www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2010/feb/04/climate-consensus-under-strain
Climate change emails between scientists reveal flaws in peer review:
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/feb/02/hacked-climate-emails-flaws-peer-review
Climate scientists shut out sceptics by turning down data requests:
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/feb/03/climate-scientists-freedom-information-act
UN climate scientists review Himalayan glaciers claim:
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jan/19/un-climate-scientists-himalayan-glaciers
Beyond debate? (THES article):
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=409454&c=2
The University of East Anglia (UEA) announced that Sir Muir Russell will head the Independent Review into allegations made against the Climatic Research Unit: www.uea.ac.uk/mac/comm/media/press/2009/dec/homepagenews/CRUreview
‘Openness can repair Climategate damage’ – UEA professor says more transparency is needed to rebuild public trust (THES article):
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=409378&c=1
Climate research data release does not go far enough: more is needed’ (THES article): www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=409382&c=1 / University of East Anglia
THES
The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian
THES
UEA website
THES
THES / February 2010
18.02.10
04.02.10
03.02.10
03.02.10
19.01.10
10.12.09
Dec. 09
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