The Nonlinear Optics Web Site

Discussions

This page is dedicated to discussions on topics that may be of interest to researchers in nonlinear optics. Please send us a note on topics that are of interest to you.

Plagiarism and Dishonesty

Every year, computer viruses waste billions of dollars in lost productivity. Fortunately, it is easy to obtain anti-virus software that protects computers from infection. However, there are no automatic methods for detecting plagiarism. Given that science and scholarly activities rely on honesty, plagiarism is a serious ethical violation.

Similarly, falsification of data is also an egregious infraction on the scientific enterprise. The goal of science is to seek the truth and is built on the implicit assumption that all participants act honestly. In the end, the nature of science demands repeatability, so cheaters get nabbed. While there are always some bad eggs, science is self-correcting and the truth eventually surfaces.

The search for an ever deeper understanding of the natural world requires honesty, cooperation, and hard work. We must be vigilant in fighting misconduct, from cheating in the classroom to fabricating data in the laboratory. Here we provide examples of dishonest behavior and how it was treated,

Click here for my personal account of a documented case of flagrant plagiarism by a professional scientist.