Skip to main content
Log in

Exploring Why and How Journal Editors Retract Articles: Findings From a Qualitative Study

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Science and Engineering Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Editors have a responsibility to retract seriously flawed articles from their journals. However, there appears to be little consistency in journals’ policies or procedures for this. In a qualitative study, we therefore interviewed editors of science journals using semi-structured interviews to investigate their experience of retracting articles. We identified potential barriers to retraction, difficulties in the process and also sources of support and encouragement. Our findings have been used as the basis for guidelines developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Budd, J. M., Sievert, M. E., & Schulz, T. R. (1998). Phenomena of retraction. Reasons for retraction and citations to the publications. Journal of American Medical Association, 280, 296–297.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Council of Science Editors (CSE). (2009). White paper on promoting integrity in scientific journal publications. Available online at: http://www.councilscienceeditors.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3354#2.1.7. Accessed June 14, 2011.

  • Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (2011). Code of conduct for editors London: COPE Available online at: http://publicationethics.org/files/Code%20of%20conduct%20for%20journal%20editors_0.pdf. Accessed Feb 18, 2011.

  • Errami, M., Hicks, J. M., Fisher, W., Trusty, D., Wren, J. D., Long, T. C., et al. (2008). Déjà vu–a study of duplicate citations in medline. Bioinformatics, 24, 243–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • May, T. (1997). Social Research: Issues, Methods and Process. Buckingham: OUP.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nath, S. B., Marcus, S. C., & Druss, B. G. (2006). Retractions in the research literature: Misconduct or mistakes? Medical Journal of Australia, 185, 152–154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richie, J., & Spencer, L. (1994). Qualitative data analysis for applied policy research. In A. Bryman, R. G. Burgess (Eds.), Analyzing qualitative data (pp. 173–194). London: Routledge.

  • Rogers, G., & Bouey, E. (1996). Collecting your data. In L. M. Tutty, M. Rothery, R. M. Grinnell, Jr. (Eds.), Qualitative research for social workers: Phases, steps, and Tasks, 4th ed. (pp. 50–87). Boston: Ally & Bacon.

  • Silverman, D. (1999). Doing qualitative research. A practical handbook. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sox, H. C., & Rennie, D. (2006). Research misconduct, retraction, and cleansing the medical literature: Lessons from the Poehlman case. Annals of Internal Medicine, 144, 609–613.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wager, E., Barbour, V., Yentis, S., & Kleinert, S. (2009). Retractions: Guidance from the committee on publication ethics (COPE) Available at: http://publicationethics.org/files/u661/Retractions_COPE_gline_final_3_Sept_09__2_.pdf. Accessed March 21, 2011.

  • Williams, P. (2005). Using information and communication technology with special educational needs students: The views of frontline professionals. Aslib Proceedings, 57(6), 539–553.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, P., Stevenson, I., Nicholas, D., Watkinson, A., & Rowlands, I. (2009). The role and future of the monograph in arts and humanities research. Aslib Proceedings, 61(1), 67–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wager, L., & Williams, P. (2011). Why and how do journals retract articles? An analysis of medline retractions 1988–2008. Journal of Medical Ethics (to be published summer 2011). doi:10.1136/jme.2010.040964 (in-press).

Download references

Acknowledgements

This project was funded by COPE (the Committee on Publication Ethics). We thank the editors who agreed to be interviewed and gave so generously of their time and their insights.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter Williams.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Williams, P., Wager, E. Exploring Why and How Journal Editors Retract Articles: Findings From a Qualitative Study. Sci Eng Ethics 19, 1–11 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-011-9292-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-011-9292-0

Keywords

Navigation