Search Results for: authorship

Author, Author! Or perhaps we should say Fake Author, Fake Author!

Researchers in Iran have lost their 2019 paper on nanofluids after the journal learned that their list of authors included an engineer at the University of Texas who had nothing to do with the work.  The article, “Numerical study on free convection in a U-shaped CuO/water nanofluid-filled cavity with different aspect ratios using double-MRT lattice … Continue reading Author, Author! Or perhaps we should say Fake Author, Fake Author!

“Riddled with errors”: Study of cell phones and breast cancer retracted

A journal has retracted a study that said exposure to radiofrequency radiation increased the risk of breast cancer after an epidemiologist found that some of the papers it relied upon did not measure radiofrequency radiation at all, in a decision that the lead author has called “unfair.” The study, titled “Exposure to radiofrequency radiation increases … Continue reading “Riddled with errors”: Study of cell phones and breast cancer retracted

Weekend reads: A Holocaust studies misconduct finding; Nature investigating majorana paper; nepotistic journals

Before we present this week’s Weekend Reads, a question: Do you enjoy our weekly roundup? If so, we could really use your help. Would you consider a tax-deductible donation to support Weekend Reads, and our daily work? Thanks in advance. The week at Retraction Watch featured: On COVID-19 PCR testing paper, “the criteria for a retraction … Continue reading Weekend reads: A Holocaust studies misconduct finding; Nature investigating majorana paper; nepotistic journals

Okinawa researcher suspended for faking data denies committing misconduct

Ye Zhang, who as we reported yesterday is serving a six-month suspension from her post at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), in Japan, says she did not commit misconduct, as the school contends.  In response to a query from Retraction Watch, Zhang, a materials scientist, said she did not agree with … Continue reading Okinawa researcher suspended for faking data denies committing misconduct

Researcher to overtake Diederik Stapel on the Retraction Watch Leaderboard, with 61

A construction researcher is watching his publishing edifice crumble, as more upcoming retractions of his papers will bring his total to 61.  Ali Nazari is believed to be a member of a ring of authors whom a whistleblower has claimed are churning out unreliable research — hundreds of papers, according to the sleuth, who goes … Continue reading Researcher to overtake Diederik Stapel on the Retraction Watch Leaderboard, with 61

“The whole thing is yucky:” When you’re surprised to find yourself as an author on a paper

When David Cox noticed on Dec. 10, 2020 that two papers in the journal Cluster Computing listed him as an author, he didn’t think much of it at first. I have a common name, so it is not unheard of to have an article written by another David Cox assigned to my profile. I thought … Continue reading “The whole thing is yucky:” When you’re surprised to find yourself as an author on a paper

Nature Communications retracts much-criticized paper on mentorship

A month after announcing it would be conducting a “priority” investigation into a November 17 paper that claimed women in science fare better with male rather than female mentors, Nature Communications has retracted the article. In the article, “The association between early career informal mentorship in academic collaborations and junior author performance,” the authors — … Continue reading Nature Communications retracts much-criticized paper on mentorship

‘I dropped the ball’: Magic bullet falls short of target

A sports medicine journal has retracted a widely circulated 2019 meta-analysis which purported to find that interval training was the “magic bullet” for weight loss, after the analysis proved to be riddled with holes.  The paper, “Is interval training the magic bullet for fat loss? A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing moderate-intensity continuous training with … Continue reading ‘I dropped the ball’: Magic bullet falls short of target

Legal researcher up to 23 retractions for false affiliations, plagiarism

A legal scholar with a peripatetic and checkered career — and questionable CV — now has 23 retractions by our count.  Dimitris Liakopoulos, about whom we first wrote in July, has claimed to have held professorships in Europe and the United States, including at Columbia Law School, Stetson University and Tufts University, as well as … Continue reading Legal researcher up to 23 retractions for false affiliations, plagiarism

Weekend reads: p-hacking the US election; an apparently fake author sinks a stock; sued for using a research tool

Before we present this week’s Weekend Reads, a question: Do you enjoy our weekly roundup? If so, we could really use your help. Would you consider a tax-deductible donation to support Weekend Reads, and our daily work? Thanks in advance. The week at Retraction Watch featured: Western University materials scientist committed misconduct, according to investigation Public … Continue reading Weekend reads: p-hacking the US election; an apparently fake author sinks a stock; sued for using a research tool