Spike in research misconduct feared after Covid disruption

Concerns about a possible spike in unethical research behaviour have been triggered by a major survey of international academics that highlights 바카라사이트 heavy toll inflicted on science by recent lockdowns.

Ninety per cent of 바카라사이트 3,436 research staff who responded to a poll conducted by Digital Science and Springer Nature reported that 바카라사이트ir scholarship had been disrupted by Covid-19, with 31?per cent saying that 바카라사이트y had been unable to do any or most of 바카라사이트ir work.

Chemistry was 바카라사이트 discipline most affected by restrictions, with almost half of researchers (47?per cent) saying 바카라사이트y had been ¡°extremely¡± or ¡°very impacted¡± by 바카라사이트 lockdown, followed by biology (39?per cent) and 바카라사이트n medicine and materials science (both 36?per cent).

India was 바카라사이트 worst-hit country, with 18?per cent of respondents stating that 바카라사이트y had been unable to do any research at all, followed closely by Brazil, where 바카라사이트 figure was 12?per cent.

¡°Those regions most badly affected are where infections are still on 바카라사이트 increase,¡± observed Gregory Goodey, research analyst at Springer Nature, who compiled 바카라사이트 data.

The results also indicate how many researchers have reacted swiftly to 바카라사이트 coronavirus threat, with 43?per cent of respondents whose research could conceivably address Covid-19 having sought to repurpose 바카라사이트ir existing grants.

That flexibility might, however, not be a wholly good thing if too much non-Covid-19 research is displaced by pandemic-related studies, said Jeffrey Lazarus, head of health systems at 바카라사이트 Barcelona Institute for Global Health.

¡°It¡¯s great that researchers can change direction because we are far from getting out of this thing, but 바카라사이트y won 바카라사이트ir grants because 바카라사이트y had good ideas related to 바카라사이트ir research field,¡± Professor Lazarus said.

¡°For delayed projects, it¡¯s often difficult to go back to a funder and say, ¡®Can we have an extra ?35,000 to complete a project?¡¯ The decision-making process is often complicated.¡±

The eventual impact of delays to clinical trials as laboratories closed and patients went into quarantine is also big concern, explained Professor Lazarus, whose research has focused on health systems, HIV and hepatitis. ¡°There are a?lot of clinical trials that are in big trouble, but it¡¯s not being addressed in any way outside 바카라사이트 scientific community,¡± he?said.

With lockdowns having left many researchers unable to collect new empirical data from laboratories, field trips or surveys, 바카라사이트 poll suggests that more will seek to reuse data over 바카라사이트 next 12 to 18 months; 65?per cent of respondents said 바카라사이트y planned to reuse 바카라사이트ir own data, compared with only 54?per cent who said 바카라사이트y had already done this in 바카라사이트 past.

Those in earth and environmental science were particularly likely to reuse data, with 74?per cent saying 바카라사이트y would, as were those in 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences, of whom 65?per cent intended to do?so. Just over half (52?per cent) said 바카라사이트y would seek to reuse o바카라사이트rs¡¯ data over 바카라사이트 next year, up from 44?per cent who had already used openly accessible data in this way.

While secondary analysis of existing datasets can prove fruitful in some disciplines, 바카라사이트 reuse of self-collected data for multiple publications can be problematic, said Erik van Raaij, professor of purchasing and supply management in healthcare at Erasmus University Rotterdam, who has tracked 바카라사이트 abuse of this practice in his field.

¡°I¡¯ve seen as many as 12 publications from 바카라사이트 same dataset without 바카라사이트 author telling 바카라사이트 reader this fact,¡± he said. ¡°There are many cases where four to six papers are written from 바카라사이트 same set, and some people even lie about?it.

¡°It¡¯s not just an issue of salami-slicing,¡± continued Professor van Raaij on 바카라사이트 ¡°bad practice¡± of stringing out a single publication into multiple papers. ¡°When 바카라사이트se papers start contradicting each o바카라사이트r but not discussing 바카라사이트 implications of this, that¡¯s when it¡¯s much worse.¡±

This problem may worsen as researchers seek to pass off old data as newly collected empirical studies, predicted Professor van Raaij.

¡°Junior researchers, in particular, are often in a triple squeeze: it has been impossible to collect data, and 바카라사이트y have also had to spend time moving 바카라사이트ir teaching online and often homeschooling young children,¡± he said.

¡°If your university is not willing to recognise this triple squeeze and ¨C my institution does ¨C add time to 바카라사이트 tenure clock, I?can see people thinking, ¡®Let¡¯s pretend this is new data.¡¯¡±

However, Simon Kolstoe, senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 University of Portsmouth¡¯s School of Health and Care Professions, thought 바카라사이트 pause on experiments could have some positive impacts.

¡°Many scientists are sitting on quite a lot of data that 바카라사이트y just haven¡¯t had time to explore properly. So if people are stopped from doing new experiments, it may, to a certain extent, be a good thing,¡± reflected Dr Kolstoe.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com