Martin, BR (Martin, Ben R.) Keeping plagiarism at bay - A salutary tale RESEARCH POLICY, 36 (7): 905-911 SEP 2007

[Eugene Garfield]

E-mail Address: B.Martin at sussex.ac.uk 

Author(s): Martin, BR (Martin, Ben R.) 

Title: Keeping plagiarism at bay - A salutary tale 

Source: RESEARCH POLICY, 36 (7): 905-911 SEP 2007 

Language: English 
Document Type: Editorial Material 

Author Keywords: plagiarism; research misconduct; peer review; self-
policing; social sciences; academic community 

Keywords Plus: SCIENTIFIC MISCONDUCT; SCIENCE 

Abstract: This editorial examines the question of whether plagiarism may 
be on the increase in the social sciences and, if so, what needs to be 
done to keep the problem in check. It was prompted by the discovery of an 
alert reader in June 2007 that a 1993 paper in Research Policy appeared to 
have plagiarised a 1980 article in the Journal of Business. The allegation 
was investigated, and it was agreed by the Editors that the 1993 paper 
constituted a clear and serious case of plagiarism. However, the author 
concerned has published over 100 articles and books. Already, two other 
publications have been judged by the editors of the journals concerned to 
have plagiarised previous publications. Two more are under investigation, 
but the great majority of the remainder still remain to be checked. The 
fact that academic misconduct on this scale has gone unchecked over such a 
prolonged period raises serious issues about the efficacy of the processes 
used to police the conduct of researchers. Furthermore, the unexpected 
discovery that a paper by the author under investigation appears itself to 
have been plagiarised poses a fundamental question as to whether 
plagiarism may be far more common than previously assumed. The editorial 
concludes that a measured degree of vigilance and a greater willingness to 
pursue any well-founded suspicions of research misconduct are required by 
editors, referees, publishers and the wider academic community if the 
scourge of plagiarism is to be kept at bay. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All 
rights reserved. 

Addresses: Univ Sussex, Freeman Ctr, SPRU Sci & Technol Policy Res, 
Brighton BN1 9QE, E Sussex, England 

Reprint Address: Martin, BR, Univ Sussex, Freeman Ctr, SPRU Sci & Technol 
Policy Res, Brighton BN1 9QE, E Sussex, England. 

Cited Reference Count: 49 
Times Cited: 0 

Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV 

Publisher Address: PO BOX 211, 1000 AE AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS 

ISSN: 0048-7333 

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