Are retractions more frequent in stem cell research?

There are a number of fields that seem to punch above their weight on Retraction Watch: Anesthesiology, home to the world record holder (and runner-up), and psychology, home to Diederik Stapel and others. But the red-hot field of stem cell research is another that makes frequent appearances, last year’s STAP controversy being particularly prominent. There’s … Continue reading Are retractions more frequent in stem cell research?

Weekend reads: Why some scientists lie, the state of academic integrity in Iran, Nature goes double-blind

The week at Retraction Watch featured Matlab miscoding and a look at how often a retracted paper was cited. Here’s what was happening elsewhere:

Weekend reads: Tortured reviewers, why failure is good, journals without editors?

This week at Retraction Watch, an explosives paper burned up, and we found that we’re cited in a $8 million lawsuit. Here’s what’s happening elsewhere:

Diabetes researcher sues journal to prevent retractions of papers cited more than 600 times

Mario A. Saad, who last year retracted a paper for plagiarism, is now suing the American Diabetes Association over four expressions of concern in its flagship journal, Diabetes. As reported in the Boston Business Journal, Saad’s lawsuit claims that his institution, the State University of Campinas, investigated two articles at the journal’s behest. The American Diabetes … Continue reading Diabetes researcher sues journal to prevent retractions of papers cited more than 600 times

Weekend reads: Where to submit your next paper, NIH proposes “emeritus” award, research dollars wasted

This week at Retraction Watch featured the debut of our new editor, and a unicorn. Here’s what was happening elsewhere:

“Unacceptable level of text parallels” loses neuroscientist a paper, but not her PhD

We should probably launch a new blog just on the euphemisms used for plagiarism. A case of “inadequate procedural or methodological practices of citation or quotation” causing an “unacceptable level of text parallels” has sunk a review paper, but not a thesis, for a PhD who studied memory consolidation at Maynooth University in Ireland. According … Continue reading “Unacceptable level of text parallels” loses neuroscientist a paper, but not her PhD

Meet the new Retraction Watch editor: Alison McCook

Retraction Watch readers, please join us in welcoming Alison McCook to the fold. We’re thrilled that McCook, an award-winning Philadelphia-based science writer and editor, began as editor today.

Weekend reads: Savage peer reviews, cosmology claim bites dust, $50 million diet pill hoax

This week at Retraction Watch featured polar opposites: Two new entries in our “doing the right thing” category, and one in our plagiarism euphemism parade. Here’s what was happening elsewhere:

Second retraction appears for former accounting professor James Hunton

It took five months, but in December a second retraction popped up for disgraced accounting professor James E. Hunton. Hunton resigned his teaching post at Bentley University in December of 2012. An extensive investigation by Bentley showed that not only was the data in two papers falsified. Hunton also lied about non-existent confidentiality agreements and tried … Continue reading Second retraction appears for former accounting professor James Hunton

Exclusive: Former NIH lab head who faked data now working as government patent examiner

The former director  of the X-ray crystallography lab at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, who was found by the Office of Research Integrity to have faked findings in three papers, is once again earning a government salary, this time as a patent examiner, Retraction … Continue reading Exclusive: Former NIH lab head who faked data now working as government patent examiner