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To: Michael_Michaelangelo
Most Published Research Findings May Be False

Outright fraud is pretty rare in science. Nothing is more certain to bring your career a swift end (since anyone in your field can and will try to confirm your results.)

In many papers there is a tendency by the authors to overinterpret their data a bit in the discussion, however any scientist worth his/her salt will come up with their own interpretations.

There is a LOT of information out there. Graduate school trains you to read everything with a very critical eye and reach your own conclusions.

593 posted on 10/06/2005 12:08:45 PM PDT by RightWingNilla
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To: RightWingNilla; Michael_Michaelangelo
Outright fraud is pretty rare in science.

Yeah. So rare that a book was published nearly 10 years ago about this rare behavior:

Stealing into Print: Fraud, Plagiarism, and Misconduct in Scientific Publishing.

One reviewer noted something interesting about the consequences of blowing the whistle on a cheater:

In contrast is the often remarkable boldness of those who draw attention to fraud. In case after case, the whistle-blowers turn out to be young researchers, too principled to connive at a superior's legerdemain and naive enough to assume that university authorities will welcome the pointing out of a wrong. Almost invariably, however, the first response of universities is to investigate the whistle-blower, not the accused. Bruce Hollis, a whistle-blower at Case Western Reserve University, is quoted here with the bitter reflection: "I cannot recommend that junior scientists who discover scientific misconduct blow the whistle unless they want to experience immense personal suffering and a possible end to their scientific careers."

Nicholas Wade New York Times

Kinda of reminds me of ... yes, what happens in Corp America too...;

Funny, you'd think 'scientists' and big wig corp types would have little in common.

596 posted on 10/06/2005 5:07:07 PM PDT by gobucks (http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/classics/students/Ribeiro/Laocoon.htm)
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