Scientific research is, in most cases, cumulative. New contributions are built upon prior research published mainly in the scientific literature. In order to preserve the integrity of the scientific record, it is important that articles containing invalid research are retracted.In this communication, we will study retracted articles in the chemical literature. We will focus on two different aspects. First, we will examine the characteristics of the phenomenon, including rate, time to retraction, and reasons for retraction, and we will establish a comparison between chemistry and other disciplines. Then, we will determine the impact of retracted articles in chemistry by analyzing their propagation to the subsequent literature. To understand the invalid research flow we will apply social network theory principles.

Retractions in chemistry: Prevalence and impact

246th National Meeting (2013)

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