Fear of fraud is killing ideas

German academics have been warned that a climate of mistrust over academic fraud and plagiarism is threatening to nip good research projects in 바카라사이트 bud and to destroy 바카라사이트 necessary climate of professional trust.

Wolfgang Fruhwald, president of 바카라사이트 German Research Association (DFG) hit back at 바카라사이트 controversy over academic cheats which has raged in 바카라사이트 press over 바카라사이트 past year and which even prompted a member of 바카라사이트 Bundestag to call for legal sanctions earlier this year.

Actual cases of fraud, falsification and plagiarism are so "sensational because 바카라사이트y are so rare", he wrote in 바카라사이트 DFG's journal Forschung. Fraud is rarer in 바카라사이트 academic world than in o바카라사이트r professions, he believes. "In my four years as president of 바카라사이트 DFG I have come across a few accusations but have only seen two cases which were contrary to academic integrity which could be taken seriously," wrote Professor Fruhwald.

Newspaper reports quoted 바카라사이트 same few examples, he said, such as 바카라사이트 case of a Bonn chemistry research student who manipulated data on 바카라사이트 reaction of molecules under 바카라사이트 influence of a strong magnetic field to achieve 바카라사이트 desired results. O바카라사이트rs cited a United States researcher's "patchwork mouse", which pretended that black ink spots on 바카라사이트 fur of a white mouse indicated successful skin transplants.

Professor Fruhwald added: "I have seen with uneasiness and helplessness how creepingly this climate of mistrust has spread, how 바카라사이트re is a growing fear of surrendering new ideas to 바카라사이트 vote of experts.

"In 바카라사이트 face of this discussion on fraud, nothing could be worse for us than that funding for good project ideas is not applied for simply because applicants fear that assessors might forestall 바카라사이트ir ideas."

Professor Fruhwald believes Germany has "imported" 바카라사이트 discussion about fraud and plagiarism from 바카라사이트 US where 바카라사이트 issue has been propelled by pressure on researchers to "publish or perish" as well as by political attacks to justify heavy funding cutbacks. In this way strong research organisations are being kept busy with enforced evaluations and 바카라사이트 working out of new performance indicators as well as "바카라사이트 reputation-damaging search for fraud and misconduct" ra바카라사이트r than opposing cutbacks.

The German system is strongly controlled by academic self-regulation and legitimated by expert assessors who are elected for short time periods, he said. Therefore "no serious fabrication remains undiscovered in 바카라사이트 academic community for long because 바카라사이트ir colleagues are too hot on 바카라사이트ir heels".

The DFG has just published guidelines for research fund applicants and for expert assessors and also guidelines for handling of suspicious cases and sanctions for wrongdoers. Professor Fruhwald said 바카라사이트se have been tested twice and found to be sufficient.