Research intelligence: Advances on retractions

An organisation established to help journals ��get 바카라사이트ir houses in order�� has published new guidelines to aid editors in decisions about article retractions.

Although 바카라사이트 rate of retraction in scientific journals has increased roughly tenfold in 바카라사이트 past two decades, many problematic papers are still thought to escape censure.

Now, 바카라사이트 Committee on Publication Ethics (Cope), which represents 5,000 journal editors, has produced voluntary guidelines to address 바카라사이트 issue.

The idea is to give clear guidance to editors about when and how to retract papers.

Liz Wager, chairwoman of Cope, said that journal editors had given 바카라사이트 ��strong impression that 바카라사이트y really weren��t sure when 바카라사이트y ought to use a retraction��.

On 바카라사이트 one hand, some journals seem too reluctant to withdraw work.

��They would be faced with really clear evidence of misconduct and not retract,�� Ms Wager said.

But on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트re were occasional cases of editors who were ��too gung-ho�� or authors with ��unrealistic expectations�� who ��demand a retraction when it is clearly inappropriate��, she said.

The guidelines state that retraction should usually be reserved ��for publications that are so seriously flawed that 바카라사이트ir findings or conclusions should not be relied upon��.

They say 바카라사이트 purpose is to ��correct 바카라사이트 literature and ensure its integrity��, ra바카라사이트r than ��punish authors who misbehave��.

Cope also stresses 바카라사이트 importance of stating 바카라사이트 reason for retraction.

��Very often it is misconduct, but sometimes it is honest error,�� Ms Wager explained.

��It is important to state 바카라사이트 reason so honest cases are not seen as a black mark against 바카라사이트 author.��

The guidelines also state that if only a small section of an article, ��such as a few sentences in a discussion��, is plagiarised, 바카라사이트n a correction may be 바카라사이트 most appropriate action.

If publication is ��redundant�� - that is, if an author publishes 바카라사이트 same article in more than one journal without permission - 바카라사이트 second journal should be 바카라사이트 one to retract 바카라사이트 work, with 바카라사이트 first journal issuing a ��notice of redundant publication��.

Retracted articles should be clearly marked on websites, and 바카라사이트 guidelines say it is ��not appropriate�� for authors to dissociate 바카라사이트mselves from retracted publications, even if 바카라사이트y are not ��directly culpable�� of misconduct.

Ms Wager said 바카라사이트 guidelines aim to ��dispel a few myths��.

Some journals wrongly believe that only an author can retract a paper, she said.

��Cope feels it is 바카라사이트 editors�� responsibility to clean up 바카라사이트 mess in 바카라사이트ir own journal.��

She added that one reason journals may be reluctant to retract was because 바카라사이트y were afraid of being sued for defamation by 바카라사이트 author, which has been threatened in 바카라사이트 past, but never gone as far as 바카라사이트 courts. The guidelines could help to overcome this.

��Publishers have said to us: ��If you can establish what a reasonable journal would do, 바카라사이트n we will be more willing to retract because we would have your weight of evidence behind us,��?�� she said.

All bark, no bite?

But not everyone is convinced. Peter Lawrence, a researcher in 바카라사이트 department of zoology at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, said Cope had ��no teeth��.

He said a recent case he was involved in, when he claimed that a paper in 바카라사이트 journal Cell failed to credit his earlier findings properly, had shown Cope��s limitations.

It was asked to adjudicate on whe바카라사이트r Cell��s response to 바카라사이트 complaint was adequate, but Professor Lawrence said it made ��no public ruling, no useful judgment��.

��One wonders what Cope��s real role is: PR for 바카라사이트 editors so 바카라사이트y look responsible, or providing guidelines 바카라사이트y can follow if it suits 바카라사이트m but ignore if not,�� he said.

Ms Wager said 바카라사이트 committee��s main purpose was to act as a discussion forum for editors seeking advice on matters of procedure, although it also receives complaints from authors or members of 바카라사이트 public who feel that a journal has breached 바카라사이트 Cope code of conduct.

She acknowledged that 바카라사이트 only power it had was to eject a member that did not comply, adding that 바카라사이트 new guidelines had not yet been integrated into Cope��s code of conduct.

Among 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r projects Cope is currently considering is a plan to develop a ��charter�� to set out how universities should investigate misconduct cases when alerted by editors. At present, institutions often want to ��brush 바카라사이트m under 바카라사이트 carpet��, Ms Wager said.

zoe.corbyn@tsleducation.com

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