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Publication misconduct and plagiarism retractions: a systematic, retrospective study
Serina Stretton1, Narelle J Bramich, Janelle R Keys
1ProScribe Medical Communications, Noosaville, Queensland, Australia. ss@proscribe.com.au
Current Medical Research and Opinion
|September 18, 2012
Summary
Plagiarism is significantly more common in retracted medical publications when first authors are from lower-income countries. This study highlights disparities in research integrity and informs strategies to combat scientific misconduct.
Area of Science:
- Medical Literature Analysis
- Bibliometrics
- Research Integrity
Background:
- Scientific misconduct, including plagiarism, poses a threat to the integrity of medical research.
- Understanding the factors associated with plagiarism is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if plagiarism is more prevalent in retracted medical publications authored by individuals from lower-income countries compared to higher-income countries.
- To identify other factors, such as publication type and journal ranking, associated with plagiarism in retracted articles.
Main Methods:
- A systematic, retrospective bibliometric study was conducted using retracted publications from MEDLINE (1966-2008).
- Retracted articles were classified based on the first author's country affiliation (income level, national language), publication type, and journal ranking.
- Statistical analyses, including odds ratios (OR) and confidence limits (CL), were performed to assess associations.
Main Results:
- Plagiarism accounted for 41.8% of misconduct retractions, with falsification/fabrication being the most common (52.1%).
- First authors from lower-income countries had significantly higher odds of plagiarism retractions (OR: 15.4) compared to those from higher-income countries.
- Plagiarism retractions were also associated with non-English national language (OR: 3.2), non-original research (OR: 8.4), case reports (OR: 4.2), and low-ranked journals (OR: 4.9).
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first evidence linking retracted plagiarism to first authors affiliated with lower-income countries.
- The findings underscore the need for targeted, evidence-based strategies and resource allocation to address and mitigate plagiarism in global medical research.
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