Title: Favoritism in the Editing Room
Author: Anji Wall
Description: An editor gives a researcher who is a friend an unfair advantage in the competitive world of publishing.
Keyword(s): Conflict of Interest, Peer Review, Publishing
Based On: (Shamoo & Resnik, 2003, p. 89)
Case: A university faculty member is part of an editorial board for a well-received journal in her area of study. She is sent a paper to review, realizing that this researcher is on the way to discovering an important peptide that a good friend of hers is also studying. She calls this friend to see how his research is coming along. She does not mention the paper she reviewed, but does mention that he should hurry, as it would be a shame if someone else completed similar research before he could publish. She then encourages her friend to send in his findings in a shorter format that he previously intended so that it could be published quickly. The associate professor delays the review of the submitted materials and returns the manuscript three months later, recommending acceptance with major modifications and additional experiments.
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- Did the associate professor act appropriately in telling her friend to publish quickly?
- Did the associate professor act appropriately in delaying the review? In giving critical and demanding review of the paper?
- Is there anything the associate professor should have done differently when she received the submitted paper?
- What should the friend have done when given the encouragement to publish?
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Source: Shamoo, A., & Resnik, D. (2003). Responsible Conduct of Research. New York: Oxford University Press.