The data confirm that the absolute number of retractions has risen over the past few decades, from fewer than 100 annually before 2000 to nearly 1000 in 2014. But retractions remain relatively rare: Only
about four of every 10,000 papers are now retracted
.
How many scientific papers should be retracted?
The gap between retractable and retracted papers is much wider for the lower-impact journals (Fig 1C). For example, for Nature (1999–2004 average IF = 29.5), with τ = 1 (optimistic), we estimate that
45–67 articles
should have been retracted, whereas only 30 actually were retracted.
Can scientific papers be retracted?
Articles
may be retracted when their findings are no longer considered trustworthy due to scientific misconduct or error
, they plagiarize previously published work, or they are found to violate ethical guidelines.
When should a scientific paper be retracted?
Reasons for retractions. Retractions frequently occur
because of research misconduct
. Research misconduct is defined by the National Science Foundation (2018) as one or all of the following: Fabrication: making up data or results rather than having them come from actual research, and recording or reporting them.
Why do scientific papers get retracted?
Introduction. Retractions are
a permanent means of maintaining the integrity of the scientific literature and necessary to alert the reader to serious problems identified with a published article
. The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) published retraction guidelines in 2009.
How bad is a retraction?
According to a study conducted by MIT and published in 2017, authors can experience
a 10–20% decrease in citations after a formal retraction
. … Authors with retracted journal articles sometimes also lose their jobs. If the fraud committed is extremely serious, then they face legal repercussions and even imprisonment.
Who can initiate a retraction?
Procedure. A retraction may be initiated by
the editors of a journal
, or by the author(s) of the papers (or their institution). Retractions are typically accompanied by a retraction notice written by the editors or authors explaining the reason for the retraction.
When should a paper be retracted discuss a case of paper retraction due to any research unethical issue?
Articles
that turn out to be based on fraudulent or flawed research are
, of course, retracted by the journals that published them. The fact that there is a clearly stated policy for retracting fraudulent research is extremely important.
How do I stop retraction?
- Follow the relevant ethics guidelines. It is important to familiarize yourself with ethical guidelines issued by the recognized body in your field of expertise. …
- Clearly state any conflicts of interest. …
- Take all measures to avoid plagiarism. …
- Author transparency. …
- Select a journal wisely.
How often does scientific misconduct occur?
Although not much is known about the prevalence of scientific misconduct, several studies with limited methods have estimated that the prevalence of scientists who have been involved in scientific misconduct ranges
from 1% to 2%.
Can you correct a published paper?
You can
write to the journal
mentioning the error, the correction, and how it can impact your paper. The journal will then either update the online version or add a note, comment, or erratum. … Some journals such as PLOS allow authors and readers to post comments and corrections on published articles.
Can you cite a retracted article?
Citing retracted papers
can be legitimate
, if it’s clearly acknowledged in the text that the cited paper has been retracted.
What are the 3 types of research misconduct?
In accordance with U.S. federal policy, there are three forms of research misconduct:
plagiarism, fabrication, and falsification
.
What is the opposite of retract?
Extend, grant and publish
can all be antonyms of retract.
Should ethical research be retracted?
Both papers that
are the result of misconduct
and seriously unethical research should be retracted and only their abstracts left online, always clearly marked as ‘retracted’. Retraction notices should be informative and easily accessible.
Should unethical studies be published?
Data obtained from such cruel and inhumane experiments
should virtually never be published
. … Disclose that the data derive from studies that do not meet contemporary standards for the ethical conduct of research. Clearly describe and acknowledge the unethical nature of the experiment(s) from which the data are derived.
What is an example of retraction?
Retraction is defined as formally taking back something which was said or done.
When a newspaper prints something incorrect and later takes back what they said and publishes an article saying they were wrong
, this is an example of a retraction.
Can researchers be sued?
Although there are several legal theories under which a researcher could be sued for failure to disclose significant findings (Tovino 2008; Bush and Rothenberg 2012), the most probable cause of action is
ordinary negligence
.
Can retracted paper be resubmitted?
There
have been instances
of retracted papers being republished after revision. If you feel you have successfully corrected all the problems because of which the paper was retracted, there is no reason why you should not resubmit it. However, it would be unethical to do this without informing the journal editor.
What does the word retraction most likely mean?
:
the act of moving something back into a larger part that usually covers it
: the act of retracting something. See the full definition for retraction in the English Language Learners Dictionary. retraction. noun.
How do you identify research misconduct?
- 1 Mistreatment of Research Subjects. …
- 2 Falsification and Fabrication of Data. …
- 3 Piracy and Plagiarism. …
- 4 References.
Do scientists fake data?
A 2009 systematic review and meta-analysis of survey data found that
about 2% of scientists admitted to falsifying
, fabricating, or modifying data at least once.
What is the most common form of scientific misconduct?
Plagiarism
is, perhaps, the most common form of research misconduct. Researchers must be aware to cite all sources and take careful notes.
What are some examples of scientific misconduct?
Making up data or results (fabrication)
, changing or misreporting data or results (falsification), and using the ideas or words of another person without giving appropriate credit (plagiarism)—all strike at the heart of the values on which science is based.
What are the 4 scientific misconduct might arise when ethical standards are not followed?
The PHS defines misconduct in science as “
fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or other practices that seriously deviate from those that are commonly accepted within
the scientific community for proposing, conducting, or reporting research.
What is the difference between a retraction and a correction?
While the terms correction and retraction are sometimes used interchangeably, in general, a correction
alerts your audience to factual errors that do not take away from your main point
, while a retraction informs your audience of factual errors that impact the main point of the statements.
Why are some papers cited more after retraction?
7 Most postretraction citations may be attributed to two causes: first,
the author’s ignorance of the retraction
because, in many cases, news of the retraction does not appear in the text or, alternatively, the author does not access the article but instead places their trust in the citations of other authors;8 9 and …
Should retracted articles be pulled from the literature entirely?
Try to not to use retracted materials. …
Retracted articles should never be cited
. If a paper has been retracted by authors themselves, there has to be some problem with the experiment, accuracy of the results or some other errors which came to the notice of the authors after publishing.
What’s another word for retract?
Some common synonyms of retract are
abjure
, forswear, recant, and renounce.
What if there is a mistake in published paper?
Send a corrigendum to the journal
. They are either able to fix it online or add it to the record. … If the error is so significant that it can change the results and conclusion of your paper then you should write an errata to the same journal.
What happens if a research paper is wrong?
“If a paper’s major conclusions are shown to
be wrong we will retract the paper
”: PLoS. … Some others, however, say retraction is appropriate when a paper is later proven wrong, even in the absence of misconduct or mistakes.
What is retraction in medical term?
A retraction is a medical term for
when the area between the ribs and in the neck sinks in when a person with asthma attempts to inhale
. Retractions are a sign someone is working hard to breathe. … But if a person is having trouble breathing, extra muscles kick into action.
What are some synonyms for retract?
- back down.
- back off.
- cancel.
- deny.
- disavow.
- disown.
- pull back.
- recant.
