IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/infome/v19y2025i1s1751157724001123.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An empirical study of retractions due to honest errors: Exploring the relationship between error types and author teams

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, Dong
  • Chen, Sihan

Abstract

By adopting binary logistic regression and using a dataset of retractions due to honest errors, this paper analyses the relationships between types of honest errors and the characteristics of author teams, aiming to make recommendations about research management for researchers and policy makers. The results show that (1) honest errors made by medium-sized teams are more likely to be data errors rather than other types of errors, than those made by other-sized teams; (2) overall, there is no obvious relationship between types of honest errors and collaboration patterns; (3) there is no significant difference in the probability that honest errors are data errors rather than other types of errors (called “the probability”), with or without the participation of US authors. Honest errors made by teams with the participation of Chinese authors are less likely to be data errors, than those made by teams without Chinese authors; (4) collaboration patterns moderate the relationship between types of honest errors and the participation of Chinese authors. Specifically, the probability is significantly greater for single-authored publications in China than in other countries, and the probability for domestic collaboration in China is much lower than that outside China. There is no significant difference in the probability for international collaboration publications in China and those in other countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Dong & Chen, Sihan, 2025. "An empirical study of retractions due to honest errors: Exploring the relationship between error types and author teams," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 19(1).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:infome:v:19:y:2025:i:1:s1751157724001123
    DOI: 10.1016/j.joi.2024.101600
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751157724001123
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.joi.2024.101600?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bordons, María & Aparicio, Javier & González-Albo, Borja & Díaz-Faes, Adrián A., 2015. "The relationship between the research performance of scientists and their position in co-authorship networks in three fields," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 9(1), pages 135-144.
    2. Walsh, John P. & Lee, You-Na & Tang, Li, 2019. "Pathogenic organization in science: Division of labor and retractions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 444-461.
    3. K. Brad Wray & Line Edslev Andersen, 2018. "Retractions in Science," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 117(3), pages 2009-2019, December.
    4. Daniele Fanelli, 2016. "Set up a ‘self-retraction’ system for honest errors," Nature, Nature, vol. 531(7595), pages 415-415, March.
    5. Ai, Chunrong & Norton, Edward C., 2003. "Interaction terms in logit and probit models," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 80(1), pages 123-129, July.
    6. Kiran Sharma, 2021. "Team size and retracted citations reveal the patterns of retractions from 1981 to 2020," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(10), pages 8363-8374, October.
    7. Chua, Roy Y.J. & Morris, Michael W. & Mor, Shira, 2012. "Collaborating across cultures: Cultural metacognition and affect-based trust in creative collaboration," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 118(2), pages 116-131.
    8. Qin Zhang & Juneman Abraham & Hui-Zhen Fu, 2020. "Collaboration and its influence on retraction based on retracted publications during 1978–2017," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 125(1), pages 213-232, October.
    9. Nicola Lacetera & Lorenzo Zirulia, 2011. "The Economics of Scientific Misconduct," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 27(3), pages 568-603.
    10. Hoekman, Jarno & Frenken, Koen & Tijssen, Robert J.W., 2010. "Research collaboration at a distance: Changing spatial patterns of scientific collaboration within Europe," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 662-673, June.
    11. Zhigang Hu & Wencan Tian & Jiacheng Guo & Xianwen Wang, 2020. "Mapping research collaborations in different countries and regions: 1980–2019," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(1), pages 729-745, July.
    12. Jan Youtie & Barry Bozeman, 2014. "Social dynamics of research collaboration: norms, practices, and ethical issues in determining co-authorship rights," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 101(2), pages 953-962, November.
    13. Horbach, S.P.J.M.(Serge) & Halffman, W.(Willem), 2019. "The extent and causes of academic text recycling or ‘self-plagiarism’," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 492-502.
    14. Qin Zhang & Hui-Zhen Fu, 2022. "Productivity patterns, collaboration and scientific careers of authors with retracted publications in clinical medicine," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(4), pages 1883-1901, April.
    15. Yuxian Liu & Yishan Wu & Sandra Rousseau & Ronald Rousseau, 2020. "Reflections on and a short review of the science of team science," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 125(2), pages 937-950, November.
    16. Li Tang, 2019. "Five ways China must cultivate research integrity," Nature, Nature, vol. 575(7784), pages 589-591, November.
    17. Zhen Lei & Wenzhe Tang & Colin F. Duffield & Lihai Zhang & Felix Kin Peng Hui & Richun You, 2018. "Qualitative Analysis of the Occupational Health and Safety Performance of Chinese International Construction Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-17, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Metwaly Ali Mohamed Eldakar & Ahmed Maher Khafaga Shehata, 2023. "A bibliometric study of article retractions in technology fields in developing economies countries," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(11), pages 6047-6083, November.
    2. Qin Zhang & Juneman Abraham & Hui-Zhen Fu, 2020. "Collaboration and its influence on retraction based on retracted publications during 1978–2017," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 125(1), pages 213-232, October.
    3. Qin Zhang & Hui-Zhen Fu, 2022. "Productivity patterns, collaboration and scientific careers of authors with retracted publications in clinical medicine," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(4), pages 1883-1901, April.
    4. Marian-Gabriel Hâncean & Matjaž Perc & Jürgen Lerner, 2021. "The coauthorship networks of the most productive European researchers," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(1), pages 201-224, January.
    5. Hamid Bouabid & Hind Achachi, 2022. "Size of science team at university and internal co-publications: science policy implications," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(12), pages 6993-7013, December.
    6. Lissoni, Francesco & Montobbio, Fabio & Zirulia, Lorenzo, 2013. "Inventorship and authorship as attribution rights: An enquiry into the economics of scientific credit," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 49-69.
    7. Hu, Guangyuan & Ni, Rong & Tang, Li, 2022. "Do international nonstop flights foster influential research? Evidence from Sino-US scientific collaboration," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 16(4).
    8. Sida Feng & Lingzi Feng & Fang Han & Ye Zhang & Yanqing Ren & Lixue Wang & Junpeng Yuan, 2024. "Citation network analysis of retractions in molecular biology field," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 129(8), pages 4795-4817, August.
    9. Dosso, Mafini & Cassi, Lorenzo & Mescheba, Wilfriedo, 2023. "Towards regional scientific integration in Africa? Evidence from co-publications," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(1).
    10. Yang Liu & Jinyuan Ma & Huanyu Song & Ziniu Qian & Xiao Lin, 2021. "Chinese Universities’ Cross-Border Research Collaboration in the Social Sciences and Its Impact," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-19, September.
    11. Caroline Lievore & Priscila Rubbo & Celso Biynkievycz Santos & Claudia Tânia Picinin & Luiz Alberto Pilatti, 2021. "Research ethics: a profile of retractions from world class universities," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(8), pages 6871-6889, August.
    12. Horton, Joanne & Krishna Kumar, Dhanya & Wood, Anthony, 2020. "Detecting academic fraud using Benford law: The case of Professor James Hunton," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(8).
    13. Chin-Chang Tsai & Elizabeth A. Corley & Barry Bozeman, 2016. "Collaboration experiences across scientific disciplines and cohorts," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 108(2), pages 505-529, August.
    14. Jing Tu, 2019. "What connections lead to good scientific performance?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 118(2), pages 587-604, February.
    15. Krammer, Sorin M.S. & Belkouja, Mustapha & Yoon, David, 2019. "Research performance of teams in Business and Management: The impact of team size, knowledge diversity and international diversity," MPRA Paper 104548, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 06 Jun 2019.
    16. Mohan, Vijay, 2019. "On the use of blockchain-based mechanisms to tackle academic misconduct," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(9), pages 1-1.
    17. Ruonan Cai & Wencan Tian & Rundong Luo & Zhichao Fang & Zhigang Hu, 2025. "Do articles with multiple corresponding authorships have a citation advantage? A double machine learning analysis approach," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 130(5), pages 2523-2550, May.
    18. Ian Peacock & Emily Ryo, 2022. "A study of pandemic and stigma effects in removal proceedings," Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(3), pages 560-593, September.
    19. Hauzenberger, Niko & Huber, Florian & Klieber, Karin & Marcellino, Massimiliano, 2025. "Bayesian neural networks for macroeconomic analysis," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 249(PC).
    20. Cho, Seo-young & Vadlamannati, Krishna Chaitanya, 2010. "Compliance for big brothers: An empirical analysis on the impact of the anti-trafficking protocol," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 118, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:infome:v:19:y:2025:i:1:s1751157724001123. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/joi .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.