December 8, 2000

As U.S. Releases New Rules on Scientific Fraud, Scholars Debate How Much and Why It Occurs

By JEFFREY BRAINARD

Ask academics about how many rogue scientists commit plagiarism and fudge data, and you're likely to hear some sharply worded, contradictory replies.

Some scholars charge that such misconduct is common but underreported, and that universities seem eager to sweep accusations under the rug instead of cracking down on violators, while the government looks the other way. But researchers often argue that such concerns are overblown, and that scientific fraud is inevitably detected because