The Council of Science Editors sponsored a retreat titled "The Journals Role in Scientific Misconduct" in November 2003. The goal of the conference was to provide a forum for journal editors to discuss the various aspects of scientific misconduct, including definitions of terms, strategies for dealing with suspected misconduct from various perspectives (journal editors, academe, oversight and advisory bodies, and regulatory agencies). Further discussions included what do to in the aftermath of misconduct and whether misconduct can be prevented. The following is a summary of the material presented at the retreat. Scientific misconduct has not emerged as a major issue in plant pathology, perhaps because it is difficult to discern and is not life-threatening when it occurs in our profession. Also, the task of bringing misconduct to the attention of academic departments or funding agencies carries a certain onus that our volunteer editors would rather avoid than pursue. Finalh, as our editorial boardsare structured on 3-year rotations, our organization may lack the institutional memory to effectively handle some misconduct issues. Our primary protection against scientific misconduct will continue to be a culture in which scientific honesty is highlyvalued and promoted through example. Nonetheless, there is substantial value in periodically refreshing ourselves on the many forms of scientific misconduct, some of which are not always clear-cur, and in being prepared to appropriately handle the infrequent instances when misconduct occurs.
展开▼
