Plagiarism in science is dangerous. Scientific search requires a solid understanding of knowing of what is known and what has to be discovered. Plagiarism by other scientist can lead false positives by honest scientist.
Accepting false premises during scientific efforts can lead to true findings in the lab that are not useful or that contribute little to nothing to science; ultimately causing a dominion effect or the building of a glass house.
Recently an article published in the economist demonstrated that the race for publication has result in skeptical findings in many high profiled journal articles. The article offered the following scandalized findings(article attached):
*1/3 researchers know a colleague that has plagiarized
*Drug companies have reported an inability to replicate ¾ of all important papers in cancer research
*80,000 patients took place in clinical trials based on research that was retracted due “mistakes.”
*VC firms used as a rule that ½ of published research cannot be replicated; aka is “junk.”
Questions:
*What can be done to reduce plagiarism in publication papers?
*How much plagiarism is due to the plagiarism of other scientific works; scientist getting false positives from plagiarized assumptions?
*What steps should scientist take to guard against plagiarism?
*Why would scientist plagiarize scientific works?
*How much of the article written in the Economist was plagiarized to create a sensation? ;)
Thanks
Michael
http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21588069-scientific-research-has-changed-world-now-it-needs-change-itself-how-science-goes-wrong
Plagiarism is only a single symptom in an order which allow all kinds of cheating which is regarded business as usual.
Some examples:
1.Co-authorship was offered because of substantial contribution in a given work. This would be the normal way.
2. It was offered if he who made the offer wants to be a co-author in the co-author’s article. This is a simple barter business.
Example 2/a. Roles: g1 = genius1, the boss of department a; g2 = genius2 , his wife working at department b; b = boss of department b; p = PhD student belonging officially to department a, but doing his work at the lab of department b; g3, g4, etc... friends of g1 and g2 in another country. P works and writes articles and the others are co-authors. Certainly, g2 is co-author in all the articles prepared in department a.
Example 2/b. the technique: 15 scientists write each an article, they offer co-authorship to one another, each of them will have 15 articles.
3. It was offered for the boss. This will be useful in the long term.
And there are many interesting and advantageous constructions.
Which one is ethical?
Brave new world?
In addition:
One of my PhD students gave me her manuscript in order to correct it and also to calculate the statistics. I was amazed because my name was indicated as a co-author. I asked her why? She answered: this is a custom. But it is not my custom because to help a PhD student is my task.
4. A boss of a department said one day to one of his colleagues (a subordinate to him): You have here two manuscripts to submit. Now, it is time to decide in which you will be the first author. The young man said to me that the bottom dropped out of his world.
5. Some years ago a scientist offered me to be one of the co-authors in his planned article. I answered him thanks but regarding I did not worked with the manuscript and the research work, I could not accept it. However, I proposed him somebody else for this useful business. Later, I perceived that except of the real author (the trader?) in all probability each of the co-authors must have had as much contribution and merit in the authority as me.
6. I was asked to identify some insects (several hundred individuals) and the person who only mediated the samples and had no idea on the taxa in question became one of the co-authors. Is false/bartered authority like an iceberg below the sea level?
7. I have information on “industrial” cheatings when somebody with a PhD degree repeatedly scanned and scans earlier published scientific or popular scientific books, he modified the title and the name of the original author and published them as his own work. He has been even officially decorated for writing such valuable books. Certainly, at the beginning of this career he only copied some parts of other people’s works. He organised a manufacture because the scanning work has been implemented by PhD students who were totally depended on him. He could provide them a little salary and they were penniless.
8. Some influential “scholars” requested (commanded) potential contributors before a conference to cite their, the influential “scholars’, publications in public circulars. Of course, they, these scholars (or their “servants”), controlled meticulously the list of the submitted references but not the merit of the manuscripts.
*Why would scientist plagiarize scientific works?
I think plagiarisers do this because they are not able to carry out good research work, they are untalented, lazy or simple they want to get results and reputation without working. Another reason can be the lack of ethics the “practical immorality” which is characteristic to our age.
Plagiarism is a criminal act but departments and universities close their eyes and allow it. Regarding the above mentioned “industrial cheating” the boss and workers of the department where this plagiarism was made did know obviously the fact but tolerated and still tolerate.
*What steps should scientist take to guard against plagiarism?
It is not easy to prove plagiarism and scientific institutions, universities do not like a scandal. Normal, honest people do not like to get involved in a scandal and do nothing. Ethical committees operate only in theory.
I agree entirely that plagiarism in science is dangerous. In my opinion it is nessessary to use computer programms to prevent it. Good luck !
@Marianne, I agree plagiarism in science is difficult to prevent.
Plagiarism is only a single symptom in an order which allow all kinds of cheating which is regarded business as usual.
Some examples:
1.Co-authorship was offered because of substantial contribution in a given work. This would be the normal way.
2. It was offered if he who made the offer wants to be a co-author in the co-author’s article. This is a simple barter business.
Example 2/a. Roles: g1 = genius1, the boss of department a; g2 = genius2 , his wife working at department b; b = boss of department b; p = PhD student belonging officially to department a, but doing his work at the lab of department b; g3, g4, etc... friends of g1 and g2 in another country. P works and writes articles and the others are co-authors. Certainly, g2 is co-author in all the articles prepared in department a.
Example 2/b. the technique: 15 scientists write each an article, they offer co-authorship to one another, each of them will have 15 articles.
3. It was offered for the boss. This will be useful in the long term.
And there are many interesting and advantageous constructions.
Which one is ethical?
Brave new world?
In addition:
One of my PhD students gave me her manuscript in order to correct it and also to calculate the statistics. I was amazed because my name was indicated as a co-author. I asked her why? She answered: this is a custom. But it is not my custom because to help a PhD student is my task.
4. A boss of a department said one day to one of his colleagues (a subordinate to him): You have here two manuscripts to submit. Now, it is time to decide in which you will be the first author. The young man said to me that the bottom dropped out of his world.
5. Some years ago a scientist offered me to be one of the co-authors in his planned article. I answered him thanks but regarding I did not worked with the manuscript and the research work, I could not accept it. However, I proposed him somebody else for this useful business. Later, I perceived that except of the real author (the trader?) in all probability each of the co-authors must have had as much contribution and merit in the authority as me.
6. I was asked to identify some insects (several hundred individuals) and the person who only mediated the samples and had no idea on the taxa in question became one of the co-authors. Is false/bartered authority like an iceberg below the sea level?
7. I have information on “industrial” cheatings when somebody with a PhD degree repeatedly scanned and scans earlier published scientific or popular scientific books, he modified the title and the name of the original author and published them as his own work. He has been even officially decorated for writing such valuable books. Certainly, at the beginning of this career he only copied some parts of other people’s works. He organised a manufacture because the scanning work has been implemented by PhD students who were totally depended on him. He could provide them a little salary and they were penniless.
8. Some influential “scholars” requested (commanded) potential contributors before a conference to cite their, the influential “scholars’, publications in public circulars. Of course, they, these scholars (or their “servants”), controlled meticulously the list of the submitted references but not the merit of the manuscripts.
*Why would scientist plagiarize scientific works?
I think plagiarisers do this because they are not able to carry out good research work, they are untalented, lazy or simple they want to get results and reputation without working. Another reason can be the lack of ethics the “practical immorality” which is characteristic to our age.
Plagiarism is a criminal act but departments and universities close their eyes and allow it. Regarding the above mentioned “industrial cheating” the boss and workers of the department where this plagiarism was made did know obviously the fact but tolerated and still tolerate.
*What steps should scientist take to guard against plagiarism?
It is not easy to prove plagiarism and scientific institutions, universities do not like a scandal. Normal, honest people do not like to get involved in a scandal and do nothing. Ethical committees operate only in theory.
@Andras, thank you for the thoughtful response.
* I agree that plagiarism is one avenue in a systemic problem of corruption in modern research; however, it is the most deadly.
*Using coauthorship as a barter system or as a way to climb the latter is so common that it almost borders are ethically upright; most advisors are not like you, they would have found it rude to be included on the manuscript.
*I agree, scientist plagiarize out of need to make their current research efforts better
*Plagiarism is very difficult to catch in the biological sciences due the difficulty of replicating experiments; almost have to go by the scientist's word regarding publications.
*Ethical committees have a louder bark than bite; most people willing to plagiarize have little to fear from these committees.
My estimate is that our country annually turns out 400,000 student researches. It could be millions through out the world. With this rate (volume and frequency), preventing and curing a disease like plagiarism, or preventing and penalizing a crime like plagiarism would be a tough task. Systems of prevention, cure and penalty to this kind of scope would require tremendous resources.But it can be done by applying quality principles (or total quality management) in the professional and student research processes on matters concerning plagiarism. This could be facilitated if one, those who gain leadership in the "business" of research have a principled stand against plagiarism, and are themselves "honest" when they prepared their theses/dissertations during their school days, and two, we can generate researchers' mass stand and support against plagiarism. Technology could either be an instrument to propagate plagiarism or stop it, depending on the user of the technology. The danger is when the student plagiarists of today will become the research professionals of tomorrow.
The problem is that you can enforce law, but you cannot enforce honesty... it has to come from within... so the only person to prevent plagiarism is the person writing the research manuscript... the others can only put their efforts in detecting or penalizing it..
I think the only way to get rid of plagiarism is to bring about a 'culture change'... not an easy thing to do.. on thing that may be done is to add 'how to write research papers' as a part of medical student curriculum... if this works, the effects will be seen in a decade or so.. :)
regards, raza
@Eddie,
I agree; the United States currently produces scientist at twice the rate of faculty position openings. And as long as these researchers are trying to get secure positions, they will stop at nothing to publish.
The solution as you mentioned, is an economic one; basic laws of supply and demand. It must be heavily restricted who is allowed to enter graduate studies in the sciences; to ensure that all of those that enter are highly qualified and have secure positions.
@Raza,
I agree; you can put ban anything on paper; but stopping its practice is another demon. Scientist wanting to plagiarize work are pretty hard to stop, and even harder to catch.
Stopping plagiarism in scientist requires changing the competitiveness of research; more about finding truth, less about getting on the faculty.
Yes, Mike, stiff, rigid, reward-focused competition is the root cause of cheating. It is because of the rigidity the research community imposes upon research to approach best quality, and the reward that it offers to those that qualify, that they who fail to possess the qualities to compete in a level field resort to plagiarism. This system is converting the research community into something that it should not be.
I think, offended scientists might widely inform scientific community about cases of plagiarism. However, anyone can decide for himself that the theft is a form of recognition of the value of his findings and will result to their wider distribution. Indecent deeds can not be hidden for a long time. Inevitably, they will result in the loss of scientific reputation of offender.
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