Search Results for: doing the right thing

Anesthesiologist “con man” apologizes for faking cover-up charges against Australian university

It’s not uncommon for scientists accused of wrongdoing — especially if they’re fired for it — to attempt to muddy the waters by claiming that they are being framed because they had threatened to blow the whistle on others.  Some of those stories have more than a grain of truth to them. Here’s one that … Continue reading Anesthesiologist “con man” apologizes for faking cover-up charges against Australian university

The camel doesn’t have two humps: Programming “aptitude test” canned for overzealous conclusion

From Larry Summers to James Watson, certain scientists have a long and questionable tradition of using “data” to make claims about intelligence and aptitude. So it’s no surprise that, when well-known computer scientist Richard Bornat claimed his PhD student had created a test to separate people who would succeed at programming versus those who didn’t, people happily … Continue reading The camel doesn’t have two humps: Programming “aptitude test” canned for overzealous conclusion

Retracted Seralini GMO-rat study republished

A highly controversial — and retracted — 2012 study by Gilles Seralini and colleagues of the effects of genetically modified maize and the Roundup herbicide on rats has been republished. Retraction Watch readers may recall that the editor of Food and Chemical Toxicology decided to retract the heavily criticized paper because it was “inconclusive.” The editor, … Continue reading Retracted Seralini GMO-rat study republished

Förster on defense again, this time weighing in on timeline controversy

Science reported last week that Jens Förster, the former University of Amsterdam social psychologist embroiled in data fabrication controversy, may have stumbled in his defense by muddling the timeline of his disputed studies in public statements. According to a piece by Frank van Kolfschooten (which is behind a paywall, and to which we linked in … Continue reading Förster on defense again, this time weighing in on timeline controversy

BMJ authors take back inaccurate statin safety statements

Last October, the BMJ published a paper by a group of researchers from the United States and Canada questioning the use of statins in patients considered at low risk of cardiovascular disease. The article has been cited eight times since then, according to Thomson Scientific’s Web of Knowledge. It mentioned data from another study that … Continue reading BMJ authors take back inaccurate statin safety statements

“I never manipulated data”: Förster defends actions in open letter

Jens Förster, the Dutch social psychologist accused of misconduct, has posted an open letter on his lab’s website in which he denies wrongdoing. The letter, in English and dated May 11, offers a detailed rebuttal to the investigation’s conclusions. It also offers a rationale for Förster’s decision not to post his data on the Internet. … Continue reading “I never manipulated data”: Förster defends actions in open letter

Social psychologist Förster denies misconduct, calls charge “terrible misjudgment”

Retraction Watch has obtained an email from Jens Förster, the social psychologist in the Netherlands who, as Dutch media reported this week, was the target of a misconduct investigation at the University of Amsterdam. The inquiry led to the call for the retraction of a paper by Förster and a colleague, Markus Denzler, over concerns of … Continue reading Social psychologist Förster denies misconduct, calls charge “terrible misjudgment”

Weekend reads: Former ORI director speaks out; Is peer review broken?

Another busy week at Retraction Watch. Here’s what was happening elsewhere on the web in scientific publishing and related issues:

Some authors seem to cite their own retracted studies. Should we be concerned?

Some authors of retracted studies persist in citing their retracted work, according to a new study in Science and Engineering Ethics that calls the trend “very concerning.”

Oh, the irony: Paper on “Ethics and Integrity of the Publishing Process” retracted for duplication

In a case whose irony is not lost on those involved, an article about publishing ethics has been retracted because one of the authors re-used material he’d written for an earlier piece. But the authors and the journal’s editors have turned the episode into a learning opportunity. Here’s the notice for “Ethics and Integrity of … Continue reading Oh, the irony: Paper on “Ethics and Integrity of the Publishing Process” retracted for duplication