How Do Researchers Respond to Perceived Scientific Wrongdoing? Overview, Method and Survey Results

摘要: Research conducted irresponsibly or fraudulently and left uncorrected eventually touches many scientists in some way. Personal careers can disintegrate. An entire body of otherwise solid work may fall into disrepute. The reputation of the university, hospital, or institute where the research took place can be tainted. The public trust upon which scientists depend for support erodes.Current institutional and federal policies concerning research wrongdoing rarely consider the roles that colleagues can play to prevent the widespread dissemination of invalid data, even though an alarmingly high percentage of scientists and advanced students confide that they know of research wrongdoing committed by their peers (eg, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Few cases, by comparison, ultimately come to the attention of the appropriate agencies (eg, 6, 7, 8).