Scientific misconduct: more cops, more robbers?

Abstract

Abandoning an earlier pretense that research misconduct is too rare to matter, the scientific community is trying to figure out how to minimize and police it. Could broadening the definition be the key?

"The Internet, Photoshop, cutthroat competition, and even internationalism all lead pessimists to fear that research misconduct can only increase. At the same time, parts of the community are taking the problem seriously and are proactively pushing for more government action and funding to clamp down hard on it.

“There's broad recognition of the scope of the problem and agreement that it is underreported. It is being handled better, by and large,” says Wright. “But there are also more and more ways for people who want to cheat to do so—and lack of funding will induce more of them to try.” The result, the ORI director notes, is a battle between two conflicting dynamics that isn't going to end anytime soon. “It's like an arms race,” he asserts."

TimAllenMDJD

Thursday, October 18, 2012