A reader suspects fabricated data in a published article. COPE flowchart for editors on the steps to take when there is suspected data fabrication in a published article.
Fabricated data in a published article
Flowchart
Fabricated data in a published article PDF 103 KB
Key points
- When a reader expresses suspicion of fabricated data in an article, first let the reader know how you will investigate.
- Follow the steps on the flowchart to understand who to contact and when before deciding whether a post-publication correction is necessary.
Related resources
Core practices:
About this resource
Cite this as
COPE Council. COPE Flowcharts and infographics — Fabricated data in a published article — English.
https://doi.org/10.24318/cope.2019.2.4
©2023 Committee on Publication Ethics (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
https://publicationethics.org
Version history
Version 1: 2006. Redesigned May 2021. Minor edits April 2023.
Full page history
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16 April 2024
Version 1 flowchart minor edits: March 2023
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24 July 2021
Redesigned flowchart published, updated citation information.
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12 February 2021
Changed title to match revision of All Flowcharts PDF