Scientists Faking Results and Omitting Unwanted Findings in Research

Seashore · 06-18-2009, 08:49 AM

This is the headline from an article on the Telegraph.co.uk website. It is based on findings of the journal Public Library of Science. I see from the Public Library of Science website that it is a nonprofit organization of scientists and physicians.

Alan Watt points out in his radio show of June 17, 2009 that scientists need their grant money.

Here is the article:

Faking results and omitting inconvenient truths in scientific research is more widespread than originally thought, a study suggests.

By Richard Alleyne, Science Correspondent
Published: 7:00AM BST 04 Jun 2009

More than two-thirds of researchers said they knew of colleagues who had committed "questionable" practices and one in seven said that included inventing findings.

But when scientists were asked about their own behaviour only two per cent admitted to having faked results.

The findings, published in the journal Public Library of Science, are based on a review of 21 scientific misconduct surveys carried out between 1986 and 2005.

The results paint a picture of a profession in which dishonesty and misrepresentation are widespread.

On average, across the surveys, around two per cent of scientists admitted they had "fabricated" (made up), "falsified" or "altered" data to "improve the outcome" at least once.

A further 34 per cent admitted to other questionable research practices including "failing to present data that contradict one's own previous research" and "dropping observations or data points from analyses based on a gut feeling that they were inaccurate."

In surveys that asked about the behaviour of colleagues, 14 per cent knew someone who had fabricated, falsified or altered data, and up to 72 per cent knew someone who had committed other questionable research practices.

Misconduct was reported most frequently by medical researchers, suggesting commercial pressures maybe putting extra pressure on them to have the right results.

Daniele Fanelli, of the University of Edinburgh, who carried out the investigation, believes that high-profile cases such as that of Hwang Woo-Suk, the South Korean scientist disgraced for fabricating human stem cell data, are less unusual than is generally assumed.

"Increasing evidence suggests that known frauds are just the tip of the iceberg and that many cases are never discovered," he said.

burgundia · 06-18-2009, 10:07 AM

that is why I have stopped believing in any scientific research and its findings...
To see the agenda behind, you have to know who is financing a given research..

Seashore · 06-18-2009, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burgundia

that is why I have stopped believing in any scientific research and its findings...
To see the agenda behind, you have to know who is financing a given research..

Yes and I really like it when forum members put their heads together to research who is actually behind research findings. We have to be aware of front groups. We have to be detectives.

06-18-2009, 08:49 AM	#1
Seashore Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 3,564	Scientists Faking Results and Omitting Unwanted Findings in Research This is the headline from an article on the Telegraph.co.uk website. It is based on findings of the journal Public Library of Science. I see from the Public Library of Science website that it is a nonprofit organization of scientists and physicians. Alan Watt points out in his radio show of June 17, 2009 that scientists need their grant money. Here is the article: Faking results and omitting inconvenient truths in scientific research is more widespread than originally thought, a study suggests. By Richard Alleyne, Science Correspondent Published: 7:00AM BST 04 Jun 2009 More than two-thirds of researchers said they knew of colleagues who had committed "questionable" practices and one in seven said that included inventing findings. But when scientists were asked about their own behaviour only two per cent admitted to having faked results. The findings, published in the journal Public Library of Science, are based on a review of 21 scientific misconduct surveys carried out between 1986 and 2005. The results paint a picture of a profession in which dishonesty and misrepresentation are widespread. On average, across the surveys, around two per cent of scientists admitted they had "fabricated" (made up), "falsified" or "altered" data to "improve the outcome" at least once. A further 34 per cent admitted to other questionable research practices including "failing to present data that contradict one's own previous research" and "dropping observations or data points from analyses based on a gut feeling that they were inaccurate." In surveys that asked about the behaviour of colleagues, 14 per cent knew someone who had fabricated, falsified or altered data, and up to 72 per cent knew someone who had committed other questionable research practices. Misconduct was reported most frequently by medical researchers, suggesting commercial pressures maybe putting extra pressure on them to have the right results. Daniele Fanelli, of the University of Edinburgh, who carried out the investigation, believes that high-profile cases such as that of Hwang Woo-Suk, the South Korean scientist disgraced for fabricating human stem cell data, are less unusual than is generally assumed. "Increasing evidence suggests that known frauds are just the tip of the iceberg and that many cases are never discovered," he said.

06-18-2009, 10:07 AM	#2
burgundia Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Poland Posts: 3,442	Re: Scientists Faking Results and Omitting Unwanted Findings in Research that is why I have stopped believing in any scientific research and its findings... To see the agenda behind, you have to know who is financing a given research..