VCU Bioinformatics and Bioengineering Summer Institute
Virginia Commonwealth University
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BBSI Scientific Integrity Workshop
Manners and Methods in Science

Question
What have been instances of scientific misconduct?

  1. What circumstances have surrounded known instances of scientific fraud?
  2. Can you find/think of reasons why a scientist would fabricate data?

Suggestions

  • Survey the circumstances surrounding some of the better known cases of purported scientific misconduct. Walter Stewart has provided a list of such cases.
  • Look more closely into a case for which there is a substantial number of on-line articles or documents. The case concerning David Baltimore and Thereza Imanishi-Kari is one, the case concerning Robert Gallo is another
  • Survey the scientific literature for articles on cases of misconduct.
    Try:
    • PubMed: Go to NCBI, click on PubMed
    • Web of Science: Go to VCU Library, click on W, then Web of Science
  • Many articles you find will be on line or in the library... read a couple!
  • Surf the web (but beware!)

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