Escamilla | 1 UNITEC INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Gerardo Alonso Escamilla Garca 1409009 Science & Society Nigel Adams 28 September

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A brief look into the exposure of scientific fraud

The academic society utilises science to study the structure and behaviour of the natural and physical realm through observation and experimentation.1 After decades of optimising the way that scientific findings are made, a methodology came to be a standard set of steps for every researcher to follow and understand. This piece of writing deliberates on how the scientific method and its self-correcting mechanisms expose dishonest and poorly developed scientific discoveries and investigations. In order to achieve the aforementioned purpose, a retracted scientific article is summarised, analysed and used as an exemplar. In the selected article Why Are Human Newborns So Fat? Relationship Between Fatness and Brain Size at Birth, published in the American Journal of Human Biology, the authors Correia, H., Balseiro, S., Correia, E., Mota, P. and Areia, M. (2004) claim to have found a relation between newborn head circumference and Body Mass Index (BMI)2 by measuring 1,069 babies delivered at the University Hospital of Coimbra and realising a linear regression analysis.3 These findings were based on the hypothesis that the excessive fat of human neonates was explained by their accelerated brain growth and its relationship with a higher need of lipids as an energetic and plastic substrate during this period. Likewise, the authors mention less likely explanations for the excessive fats existence: a function of insulation as an evolutionary response for human hairlessness and energy storage as a lifelong strategy. (Correia, H., Balseiro, S., Correia, E., Mota, P. and Areia, M., 2004). The analysis consists of descriptive statistics, distribution curves and correlations between BMI as the dependent variable and gestational age, birth length and head circumference as the independent variables. The article reports that the head circumference is significantly and positively associated with BMI at birth, after gestational age and birthlength were controlled for (2004). To address an analysis upon this retracted article, it is necessary to acquire an understanding about the general premises under which scientists research and the renowned scientific
Based on Oxford Dictionaries (n.d.) Heart Foundation (n.d.) presents BMI as a tool that gives a good idea of whether someone is underweight, overweight or an ideal weight for his/her height. Consequently, the authors abide BMIs simplicity, accuracy and validity. (Correia, H., Balseiro, S., Correia, E., Mota, P. & Areia, M., 2004) 3 Yale University Department of Statistics (1998) defines linear regression as an analysis that attempts to model the relationship between two variables by fitting a linear equation to observed data. One variable is considered to be an explanatory variable, and the other is considered to be a dependent variable.
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Escamilla | 2 method. Adams (2012) presents that the scientific methodology must have a systematic and prescribed way to ask precise questions about the natural world by using rigorous observation and experimentation of the natural phenomena. Additionally, he states several elements of the scientific process and their characteristics, which are shown in Table 1. Thus, scientific integrity is acquired if these characteristics are met accordingly and scientists are proven to work under these premises. Table 1: Basic elements of the scientific process Element Characteristic Observation Unbiased and clear Experimentation Rigorous design Measurement Accurate & flexible Logic Use of inductive/deductive reasoning to make a process clear Honesty Disposal of incorrect hypothesis Source: Escamilla, based on Adams (2012). However, the premises are inherently part of the scientific methodology divided by Adams (2012) in several steps, presented in Figure 1: 1. Observation. The natural phenomena of the universe are the scientists observatory; questions rise and explications are required to understand them. 2. Hypothesis. A specific and testable statement is made by the scientist in order to estimate the plausible explanation of a certain phenomenon. 3. Prediction. Stated after the hypothesis; based on scientific knowledge and assumptions. 4. Experimentation. A test (or series of tests) must be designed to answer the phenomenon. Afterwards, the data must be collected an analysed. 5. Support/Reject Hypothesis. After interpreting the results, the hypothesis is either supported or rejected. If supported, a theory may be stated as further tests are applied; if rejected, the initial hypothesis must be revised or discarded in order to do more tests. Subsequent to the aforementioned rendition on scientific integrity and methodology, the uncertainty about why was the article retracted rises up. In the second issue of the volume in which the article was published, Editor-in-Chief Peter T. Ellison discloses a statement that discredits the article from Am J Human Biol. and points out the reason as for why the scientists have performed dishonesty. Ellison makes public their [Am J Human Viol.] findings of numerous copied verbatim of substantial sections of prose and references from Adipose tissue in human infancy and childhood: an evolutionary perspective, an article published previously by CR Kuzawa (Yearbook Phys Anthrop 27:177-209; 1998). (Ellison, 2004). Correia and his co-authors voluntarily withdrew their article from the scientific record after being consulted by Am J Human Biol. and being held responsible for plagiarism. Correia admitted the similarity between their work and Kuzawas, alluding his lack of English dominance in his explanation and apologies to the Editor and Kuzawa (Ellison, 2004).

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Figure 1. The scientific method Source: Adams (2012) When dealing with a respectable activity that encloses knowledge based on observation, tests and facts, faulty and fraudulent claims are bound to be discovered and called out by scientists that follow the same rigorous and irrefutable method of practising science. Therefore, it is possible to affirm that science itself has a self-correcting mechanism. A continuous search for enlightenment led by facts is the main pillar of the shared knowledge by the scientific community, which serves as a support for the scientific method. What is most certain about this mechanism is that it strongly relies on the experimental phase of the method. Specialised scientists dedicated to analyse and accept scientific findings are obligated to understand fully the empirical value of these findings and if necessary, require for the author to replicate his/her process in an iterative way to prove the validity of said findings. A fraudulent article such as the exemplar represents a fact of plagiarism that decreases the scientific integrity, which relies strongly in originality and veracity. Not only that, but it negatively impacts the authenticity of the author(s) and the publisher that approved such article; notwithstanding the emotional value of being pointed out before the scientific community as a fraudulent scientist or researcher. Moreover, Ellis (2004) emphasises on maintaining the highest standards of professional ethics when conducting research and publishing scientific findings. However, retracted articles are widely available in nonpublishers electronic libraries and published journals before they were designated as retracted by the publisher; hence not containing a retraction statement (Davis, 2012). This posture converges in the offside of the actual decentralised access to scientific articles, as it may promote incorrect, invalid or untrustworthy science to the community.

Escamilla | 4 References Adams, N. (2012). Scientific method and scientists. Unitec Institute of Technology. Science and Society lecture presentation. Retrieved from http://moodle.unitec.ac.nz/pluginfile.php/15413/mod_folder/content/3/Scientific%20meth od%20and%20scientists%202012.ppt?forcedownload=1 Correia, H., Balseiro, S., Correia, E., Mota, P. & Areia, M. (2004). Why Are Human Newborns So Fat? Relationship Between Fatness and Brain Size at Birth. American Journal of Human Biology. 16(1):2430 Davis, P. (2012). The Secret Life of Retracted Articles. the scholarly kitchen. Retrieved from http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2012/08/10/the-secret-life-of-retracted-articles/ Davis, P. (2012). The persistence of error: a study of retracted articles on the Internet and in personal libraries. Journal of the Medical Library Association. 100:184189 Department of Statistics. (1998). Linear Regression Yale University. Retrieved from http://www.stat.yale.edu/Courses/1997-98/101/linreg.htm Ellison, P. (2004). Retracted Article. American Journal of Human Biology. 16(2):111 Heart Foundation. (n.d.) BMI Calculator. Retrieved from http://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/healthy-living/losing-weight/bmi-calculator Oxford Dictionaries. (n.d.). Definition of Science - Science, Philosophy and Formal Subject. Retrieved from http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/science?q=science