2014 Volume 57 Issue 7 Pages 443-450
Although misconduct in research and publishing is not a new phenomenon, developments in information technology have had important effects. Computer software not only makes it easier to commit some types of misconduct (such as plagiarism and image manipulation) but also provides tools that can detect such misconduct. Electronic publishing also allows corrections and retraction statements to be directly linked to the affected articles, thus making it easier to alert readers to problems. Despite the availability of powerful tools, handling cases of suspected misconduct requires careful judgement. Journals and institutions should therefore have good policies and procedures for such situations. The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE: an international body with over 9000 member journals) is one source for advice on these topics and its work is described. It is also important for journals and institutions to cooperate over cases of suspected and proven misconduct. A recent case provides a good example of effective investigation and cooperation by Japanese institutions.
