# Scientists reveal what they learnt from their biggest mistakes **URL:** \ **Category:** Open and replicable science\ **Tags:** retraction\ **Created:** [September 12, 2021, 9:20pm UTC](https://onscienceandacademia.org/t/scientists-reveal-what-they-learnt-from-their-biggest-mistakes/1488 "2021-09-12T21:20:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gavin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/439d5e/32.png) [@Gavin](https://onscienceandacademia.org/u/Gavin)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2021, 9:20pm UTC](https://onscienceandacademia.org/t/scientists-reveal-what-they-learnt-from-their-biggest-mistakes/1488/1 "2021-09-12T21:20:24Z")
> **[Scientists reveal what they learnt from their biggest mistakes](https://www.nature.com/nature-index/news/scientists-reveal-what-they-learnt-from-their-biggest-mistakes)** > > How retractions can be a way forward. > when Arnold’s group at the California Institute of Technology failed to replicate the results due to data missing from one of her student’s lab notes, she requested a retraction from the journal. > > “I did not want anyone to waste their time trying to reproduce our results,” says Arnold. > > While she was widely praised for her candid apology, it was another researcher who inspired Arnold to be upfront about her mistakes. > > “Someone I admire retracted a very important paper when I was a young scientist,” says Arnold. “I wanted to pay that lesson forward.” From last year. I think that this is a positive step towards destigmatizing using retractions as a way to correct honest mistakes. ---
**Author:** ![Gavin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/439d5e/32.png) [@Gavin](https://onscienceandacademia.org/u/Gavin)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 8:04pm UTC](https://onscienceandacademia.org/t/scientists-reveal-what-they-learnt-from-their-biggest-mistakes/1488/2 "2021-12-18T20:04:30Z")
Relevant perspective about using retractions to address mistakes. > **[UKRN position on correcting the research record | UK Reproducibility Network](https://www.ukrn.org/2021/09/21/ukrn-position-on-correcting-the-research-record/)** > 1. Retraction is a blunt instrument that is often inadequate, for example if it does not clearly delineate the difference between authors who have themselves identified an honest error in their work and requested a retraction, and fraudulent misrepresentation of work only brought to light by a whistleblower. More complete permanent retraction notices will address this, describing why the retraction was issued. > > 2. We should seek to reduce the stigma associated with honest error, and encourage the submission of (self-) corrections, either as retractions if the work is rendered fundamentally unsound, or as amendments or notes to published articles in more minor cases. We should, as a community, applaud instances when this happens. > > 3. When authors are resistant to attempts to correct the research record, institutions, publishers and editors need to be more assertive. If there is clear evidence of error, publishers – as the custodians of the research record – should recognise their responsibility to highlight, and to correct or remove, erroneous information that is in the public domain. If only a correction is required, this may take the form of a note attached to the online Version of Record (and included in the downloadable PDF), perhaps supported by an email to table-of-contents subscribers. As a minimum, the existence of a correction should be visible when accessing the Version of Record. If the problems are such that the work is rendered fundamentally unsound, a retraction (with a complete retraction notice) is appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![rebecca](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/onscienceandacademia.org/rebecca/32/520_2.png) [@rebecca](https://onscienceandacademia.org/u/rebecca)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2021, 12:47pm UTC](https://onscienceandacademia.org/t/scientists-reveal-what-they-learnt-from-their-biggest-mistakes/1488/3 "2021-12-22T12:47:45Z")
Speaking of UKRN, I’ve recently become a local node of SWERN, the Swedish reproducility network (a partner of UKRN). >