Center for Scientific Integrity

Retraction Watch is a research organization that works to improve practices in science, publishing, research funding, and peer review by collecting and analyzing notices issued by leading academic journals, publishers, and scientific societies regarding acknowledged errors, corrections, and retractions. It publishes its findings via its website, RetractionWatch.com, which serves roughly 100,000 readers per month, many of whom actively contribute information to the site about scientific controversies, errors, and misconduct. Though Retraction Watch has yet to receive support from any foundation or government agency, it has become a trusted source of information for working scientists, and is cited frequently by national media in stories involving scientific controversies. This proposed grant will provide project support for the first comprehensive database of retractions, and a series of reports about errors in scientific research and publishing. The broad goals of this proposed grant are to develop stronger, more vigorous peer review in scientific journals; to reduce inappropriate citations of retracted papers; to encourage fuller, more transparent notices from publishers when they issue retractions; and to spur universities to develop deeper, more effective educational programs for responsible conduct of research. These goals are becoming more challenging and more critical due to the proliferation of journals, increasing specialization within academia, and an expanding pool of scientific knowledge. The database will enable in-depth studies by Retraction Watch staff of error and misconduct in the sciences, more accurate news reports, and improved research designs by scientists working in a variety of fields.