No Study's Perfect: A Cross-Disciplinary Analysis of Published Errata
Overview
Description
1 June 2011 - 31 May 2012
Dr. Daniele Fanelli was awarded a Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Small Research Grant, to conduct the first large quantitative analysis on published corrections of scientific literature.
Entitled “No Study’s Perfect: A Cross Disciplinary Analysis of Published Errata”, the project will apply quantitative and qualitative analyses to a sample of over 3,000 corrections published in all disciplines.
Results will provide the first accurate data on the frequency of errata over the years, the types of errors that are most common, the impact of such corrections, and will identify characteristics of studies and journals that are most strongly associated with the publishing of a correction. These data will help answer important questions on the integrity of the literature and its preservation, will point out strengths and weaknesses in the current publication system, and will draw attention to areas that might need improvement, hopefully stimulating new approaches to ensuring best editorial and research practices.