Abstract
Since published acknowledgements of scientific misconduct are a species of image restoration, common strategies for responding publicly to accusations can be expected: from sincere apologies to ritualistic apologies. This study is a rhetorical examination of these strategies as they are reflected in choices in language: it compares the published retractions and letters of apology with the letters that charge misconduct. The letters are examined for any shifts in language between the charge of misconduct and the response to the charge in order to assess whether the apology was sincere or ritualistic. The results indicate that although most authors’ published acknowledgments of scientific misconduct seem to minimize culpability by means of the strategic use of language, their resulting ritualistic apologies often still satisfy in some way the accusers’ (and thus their community’s) concerns.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Atlas, M. C. (2004). Retraction policies of high-impact biomedical journals. Journal of the Medical Library Association, 92(2), 242–250.
Bennett, C. (2006). Taking the sincerity out of saying sorry: Restorative justice as ritual. Journal of Applied Philosophy, 23(2), 127–143.
Benoit, W. (1995). Accounts, excuses, and apologies: A theory of image restoration strategies. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Brand-Miller, J., & Colagiuri, S. (2004). To the editor. Metabolism, 53(2), 264.
Dahlberg, J. E., & Mahler, C. C. (2006). The Poehlman case: Running away from the truth. Science and Engineering Ethics, 12(1), 157–173.
Davis, P. (2002). On apologies. Journal of Applied Philosophy, 19(2), 169–173.
Eremin, O. E. (1999). Notice. The Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, 44(6), 41. http://www.rcsed.ac.uk/Journal/vol44_6/4460041.htm.
Fisher, R. S. (2003). Retraction for misappropriation. Epilepsia, 44(11), 1463.
Huang, G., Chou, Y., & Su, F. (2003). Retraction of “Gait analysis and energy consumption of below-knee amputees wearing three different prosthetic feet” [gait and posture 12 (2000) 162–168]. Gait & Posture, 18(3), 124.
Interlandi, J. (2006, October 22). An unwelcome discovery. New York Times Magazine, p. 98.
International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. (2009). Corrections, retractions and “expressions of concern”, uniform requirements for manuscripts submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication. http://www.icmje.org/. Accessed 5 January 2009.
Kiang, N. Y. (1995). How are scientific corrections made. Science and Engineering Ethics, 1, 347–356.
Kihara, S. M. D., & Brimacombe, J. R. (2004). Two manuscripts, too similar. Anesthesiology, 101(3), 801.
Kim, C. (2006). Apology to the journal. Neurochemical Research, 31(10), 1295.
Kopp, W. (2004). Reply: High insulinogenic nutrition—an etiologic factor for obesity and the metabolic syndrome. Metabolism, 53(2), 264–265.
Lajtha, A. (2006). Apology to the journal. Neurochemical Research, 31(10), 1295.
Lerman, J., & Crawford, M. (2004). Two manuscripts, too similar. Anesthesiology, 101(3), 801.
Oliver, C. W. (1999). Letter of apology from Mr. C. W. Oliver. The Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, 44(6), 4. http://www.rcsed.ac.uk/Journal/vol44_6/4460041.htm.
Parrish, D. M. (1999). Scientific misconduct and correcting the scientific literature. Academic Medicine, 74, 221–230.
Pfeifer, M. P., & Snodgrass, G. L. (1990). The continued use of retracted, invalid scientific literature. JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association, 263(10), 1420.
Poehlman, E. T. (2005). To the editor. Annals of Internal Medicine, 142(9), 798.
Redman, B. K. Yarandi, H. N., & Merz, J. F. (2008, November). Empirical developments in retraction. Journal of Medical Ethics, 34, 807–809.
Ruegg, S. (2003). Letter of apology. Epilepsia, 44(11), 1463.
Ryan, H. R. (1982). Kategoria and apologia: On their rhetorical criticism as a speech set. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 68, 254–261.
Sox, H. C. (2005). Notice of retraction: Final resolution. Annals of Internal Medicine, 142(9), 798.
Sox, H. C., & Rennie, D. (2006). Research misconduct, retraction, and cleansing the medical literature: Lessons from the Poehlman case. Annals of Internal Medicine, 144(8), 609–613.
Thomsen, M., & Resnik, D. (1995). The effectiveness of the erratum in avoiding error propagation in physics. Science and Engineering Ethics, 1(3), 231–240.
Tobin, M. J. (2000). Reporting research, retraction of results, and responsibility. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 162, 773–774.
van Alphen, E., Bal, M., & Smith, C. (2009). The rhetoric of sincerity. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
Walton, D. N. (1996). Arguments from ignorance. University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Souder, L. A Rhetorical Analysis of Apologies for Scientific Misconduct: Do They Really Mean It?. Sci Eng Ethics 16, 175–184 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-009-9149-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-009-9149-y