As a result, too much of what is published goes unchallenged. When the title was translated by an abstracter it became the name of the author, O. Uplavici. For many years it was cited as such. This was just a thoughtless error, one that probably had little bad result. But indifference to errors can be very damaging.
Scrupulous attention is especially important now.
Scientists and engineers are the only people who can redress misconduct. Universities, as the primary locus of basic research, have a special responsibility in this regard. In cases of alleged wrongdoing, they have a duty to analyze the facts fairly, determine accountability, protect the rights of all involved, and see that any falsehood is corrected. As the costs of academic research increase, so too does the universities' dependence upon Federal support. As the Federal investment grows, so too does the public's scrutiny of the research universities.