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Article

Who Is Responsible for a Fraud: An Exercise Examining Research Misconduct and the Obligations of Authorship through Case Studies

Brian K. Niece

Department of Natural Sciences, Assumption College, Worcester, MA 01609-1296

J. Chem. Educ., 2005, 82 (10), p 1521

DOI: 10.1021/ed082p1521

Publication Date (Web): October 1, 2005

Abstract

This exercise uses two recent incidents of research misconduct to introduce students to the issue of ethics in scientific publication. The incidents involve alleged data falsification by individual researchers and the accompanying debate over responsibility among their collaborators. Before class, the students read summaries and answer focus questions about the facts of the two cases. With the guidance of the instructor, the technical details are clarified and the ethics of the cases are debated in a three-hour laboratory session. Finally, the students are asked to evaluate a publication dispute in which no fraud has been alleged, but which nonetheless raises similar questions of authorship. They then submit a written report recommending a resolution.

Keywords:

First-Year Undergraduate / General

Keywords:

History / Philosophy

Keywords:

Teaching with Problems and Case Studies

Keywords:

Collaborative / Cooperative Learning

Keywords:

Ethics

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This article has been cited by 3 ACS Journal articles (3 most recent appear below).

Student-Centered Use of Case Studies Incorporating Oral and Writing Skills To Explore Scientific Ethical Misconduct
Ingrid Montes , Adriana Padilla , Atenaida Maldonado and Solymar Negretti
Journal of Chemical Education2009 86 (8), 936
- Student-Centered Use of Case Studies Incorporating Oral and Writing Skills To Explore Scientific Ethical Misconduct
  Ingrid Montes , Adriana Padilla , Atenaida Maldonado and Solymar Negretti
  Journal of Chemical Education2009 86 (8), 936
  For many years, ethical misconduct has been long endured and difficult to address in the scientific community. To educate students about ethical misconduct in science, case studies were used in an ethics discussion board for a class group project. The ...
  Abstract | Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links
Trying a Case on Ethics in Scientific Research: A Role-Playing Exercise for Students and Faculty in a Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Patrick E. Hoggard
Journal of Chemical Education2008 85 (6), 802
- Trying a Case on Ethics in Scientific Research: A Role-Playing Exercise for Students and Faculty in a Summer Undergraduate Research Program
  Patrick E. Hoggard
  Journal of Chemical Education2008 85 (6), 802
  While most prepared exercises for ethics in science programs—including an excellent AAAS video series—present a complete account of the relevant facts, a role-playing exercise is described here in which the participants are provided with differing reports ...
  Abstract | Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links
A Directed Framework for Integrating Ethics into Chemistry Curricula and Programs Using Real and Fictional Case Studies
Ellen R. Fisher and Nancy E. Levinger
Journal of Chemical Education2008 85 (6), 796
- A Directed Framework for Integrating Ethics into Chemistry Curricula and Programs Using Real and Fictional Case Studies
  Ellen R. Fisher and Nancy E. Levinger
  Journal of Chemical Education2008 85 (6), 796
  This paper presents an approach to using real and fictional case studies with a range of ethical dilemmas. The pedagogical method we describe is effective in a variety of venues from high school to undergraduate summer research programs to workshops with ...
  Abstract | Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links