Fake watches and stolen science...

[Tony64]

I won't pretend to understand the science here, I'll leave that to the braniacs to decipher. What's clear is that 19 scientists from Johns Hopkins have resigned from the editorial board of Scientific Reports in support of a colleague who's work was allegedly plagiarized by a Chinese researcher.

After informing the Journal that their colleague's research had been stolen and published inappropriately, the editor refused their demand to rescind the paper.

https://www.the-scientist.com/?artic...itorial-Board/

Industrial theft happens all the time I suppose, and not just in the fake watches we occasionally see here. It's a sad reality that the scientific community should be similarly effected.

Cudos to the scientists who are standing in solidarity against this behavior, and shame on the publishers of Scientific Reports.

If I had a subscription I'd cancel it.

[Abdullah71601]

I'm not familiar with this journal, but Mr. Google says it's run by Nature. Usually failure to attribute gets a pretty hard whack from the community. It's odd that this journal viewed this so casually.

[Star Ferry]

Things governed by an "honor system" typically do not work in China

I see the same thing in Korea. Great country, love visiting, but cheating is par for the course. Most don't see anything inherently wrong with it.

http://m.scmp.com/comment/insight-op...ok-cheat?amp=1

https://www.theatlantic.com/educatio...the-us/474474/

[Tony64]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

I'm not familiar with this journal, but Mr. Google says it's run by Nature. Usually failure to attribute gets a pretty hard whack from the community. It's odd that this journal viewed this so casually.

The journal may have, but the scientific community hasn't.

I'm not smart enough to evaluate the merit, but I commend the scientists that are and have and chosen to speak out.

Stealing someone's work, whether in the classroom, boardroom, or laboratory needs to be addressed in the harshest possible terms. Nature is a quality publication and I thought they would be better than this.

[Tony64]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

Things governed by an "honor system" typically do not work in China

I see the same thing in Korea. Great country, love visiting, but cheating is par for the course. Most don't see anything inherently wrong with it.

http://m.scmp.com/comment/insight-op...ok-cheat?amp=1

https://www.theatlantic.com/educatio...the-us/474474/

Perhaps, but Nature is a U.S. based publication. We can't stop plagiarism, but we can and should be proactive in preventing its acceptance into our publications.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by Tony64

Perhaps, but Nature is a U.S. based publication. We can't stop plagiarism, but we can and should be proactive in preventing its acceptance into our publications.

Apparently they're OK with plagiarism, as long as there's a correction. From their policy page:

Author Correction (formerly Corrigendum). Notification of an important error made by the author(s) that affects the publication record or the scientific integrity of the paper, or the reputation of the authors or the journal.

http://www.nature.com/srep/journal-p...sponsibilities

IMO, theft or misrepresentation of intellectual property should be dealt with using a hammer not a comment in the fine print.

[Tony64]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

Apparently they're OK with plagiarism, as long as there's a correction. From their policy page:

Author Correction (formerly Corrigendum). Notification of an important error made by the author(s) that affects the publication record or the scientific integrity of the paper, or the reputation of the authors or the journal.

http://www.nature.com/srep/journal-p...sponsibilities

IMO, theft or misrepresentation of intellectual property should be dealt with using a hammer not a comment in the fine print.

Once a pilar of our society, journalistic integrity slips one step further into oblivion...

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

Things governed by an "honor system" typically do not work in China

I see the same thing in Korea. Great country, love visiting, but cheating is par for the course. Most don't see anything inherently wrong with it.

How can this observation be further explained? Is it a reflection of their cultural and core values or simply avarice?

A 'win at all costs' mentality raises certain trust issues. With this kind of mindset, playing a round of golf with them (especially a 'skins game') would probably be very unpleasant or a nightmare to say the least.

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by Tony64

Perhaps, but Nature is a U.S. based publication. We can't stop plagiarism, but we can and should be proactive in preventing its acceptance into our publications.

My point, which maybe I didn't express clearly, is they are taking advantage of more trusting western institutions. A Chinese journal would expect plagiarism and be actively looking for it.

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

How can this observation be further explained? Is it a reflection of their cultural and core values or simply avarice?

A 'win at all costs' mentality raises certain trust issues. With this kind of mindset, playing a round of golf with them (especially a 'skins game') would probably be very unpleasant or a nightmare to say the least.

For further explanation, look how well "bike sharing" is working out

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-in-giant-pile

[milov]

Wow... some harsh views in this thread. I've come across plenty of reputable Chinese academics. I've also come across plagiarism and falsified data that isn't Chinese or Korean in origin.

Every day I read high quality investigative journalism and reporting. No shortage of that going around.

Also plenty of those rental bikes being trashed in Australian capital cities. No one so far has found a connection to Chinese being the culprits.

[Star Ferry]

Originally Posted by milov

Wow... some harsh views in this thread. I've come across plenty of reputable Chinese academics. I've also come across plagiarism and falsified data that isn't Chinese or Korean in origin.

Every day I read high quality investigative journalism and reporting. No shortage of that going around.

Also plenty of those rental bikes being trashed in Australian capital cities. No one so far has found a connection to Chinese being the culprits.

I never said all plagiarism was Chinese/Korean in origin, Nor did I say that there aren't reputable Chinese academics, nor that Westerners never trash rented bicycles

yeah, bad stuff happens everywhere, but not to the same degree. Chinese authorities know that academic plagiarism is a problem

China launches crackdown on academic fraud
https://www.ft.com/content/680ea354-...8-997009366969

China vows zero tolerance towards academic fraud
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20..._136315028.htm

Academic fraud in China is getting out of hand
https://io9.gizmodo.com/academic-fra...and-1427658261

Rampant Fraud Threat to China’s Brisk Ascent
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/wo...anted=all&_r=0

[Tony64]

Originally Posted by milov

Every day I read high quality investigative journalism and reporting. No shortage of that going around.

Clearly I must be getting the wrong periodicals!

Most of what I've been reading barely makes for good fish wrap.