Question

A) We have discussed at length current issues in Psychology pertaining to scientific misconduct and fraud. What do you see as the major issues plaguing our field and how do you think we can begin to overcome these problems?

Answer 1

What do you see as the major issues plaguing our field and how do you think we can begin to overcome these problems?

The most common form of issue faced by the researchers are the plagiarism. Every scholar has a style of manuscript presentation and has a flow of referring to others works and citing key statements from other scholar works. Most scholar believe that their way of presentation do not fall under the category plagiarism and hence forget to address the same. The other serious offences include fabrication and falsification of data. Most researchers easily commit the fabrication and falsification of a study data under wrong guidance. The study that do not have the proper ethical clearances also fall under this group.

To avoid plagiarism, all scholars must and researcher must test their manuscripts using reputed plagiarism identification tools such as ‘turnitin’. Also all manuscripts must be supervised by another expert such as the journal publication domain editor or reviewer. The editor and reviewer must accept in manuscripts that has a clearance from the plagiarism checking tools.

The fabrication and falsification of data can be easily controlled by reviewing the manuscript by expert reviewers and asking the author to submit the details of the place of research and the authorities those who approved the research. The authors/researchers/scholars by furnishing these data shall be aware of the consequences, if at all there is a misconduct. Due to this, publication of fabricated data can be controlled.

Another, reason put forth by the research community is the denial of sufficient permissions to work in certain fields. Hence, taking necessary steps to provide the facilities for the researchers/scholars to function within their limits should also be allowed.

Thus, the problems of plagiarism, fabrication and falsification of data shall be controlled by the publisher team and delivering harsh punishments such as blacklisting, if a misconduct is found.

Also, sensitizing the researchers, scholars about the drawbacks of the plagiarism, fabrication and falsification and the potential aftermaths shall also help. Sensitizing the ethical, moral, ways of publishing too shall help.

Importantly, relaxing some of the high standards of publication to some auxiliary versions of journals too shall help in reducing the fabrication and falsification of data.