What Can We do About Scientific Misconduct?
Who can we trust in a world of alternative facts, trolls, and spam? We should be able to turn to scientific research for reliably trust-worthy perspectives, yet even peer- reviewed journal articles can contain incorrect or misleading findings. Academic misconduct– including falsifying data, selectively analyzing data, plagiarizing others’ work, or biased reporting– is a troubling problem across hard and social science disciplines.
In a recent MethodSpace post, Benson Honig discussed an in-press article about scientific misconduct. The article is based on the perspectives and experiences of nine respected scholars from around the world. While Benson drew on the expertise of those in the field of management, lessons learned transcend discipline.
We requested that The Academy of Management Perspectives make this important article open access for a period of time, so that MethodSpace readers without a subscription or access to an academic library can read it. They graciously agreed. Between now and January 1 you can download and read “Reflections on Scientific Misconduct in Management: Unfortunate Incidents or a Normative Crisis?” We hope you will share the interview with Dr. Honig and the article with your students and colleagues.
The article concludes with a set of recommendations for remedying these issues. Please use the comment area to share your thoughts about these suggested steps or to propose new solutions. Comments will be communicated to Dr. Honig for further consideration.
Click here to discover more MethodSpace posts about ethical research and academic honesty.