Case Study: Reporting Ethical Violations

Dr. Schwartz is assigned as a peer reviewer for a paper submitted by a team of researchers led by Dr. Owusu. As she meticulously reviews the manuscript, she notices substantial data manipulation, with several images appearing to be duplicated or altered to enhance the study's results. This raised serious concerns about the validity of the research presented.

Despite recognizing the severity of the ethics violation, Dr. Schwartz hesitates to report the misconduct. Dr. Owusu is a prominent figure in the field, and if he recognizes that Dr. Schwartz authored the review, she fears there would be retaliation, including damage to her professional reputation, or even strained relationships with colleagues. The fear of reprisal leaves her uncertain about how to address the ethical breach.

Dr. Schwartz consults with the handling editor who invited her to review the paper, sharing her concerns. The editor then determines that an official claim should be filed with the ACM Ethics and Plagiarism Committee. This report is the first step in the investigation process.

Once the investigation is complete, Dr. Owusu is notified of the decision and any penalties that may accompany the decision.

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