Assignment 1

1. What should she do?

First, it is useful to remember that available (though not definitive) evidence indicates that data fabrication is rare in physics, so while the student is likely in a position where she must take some action, she should keep open the possibility that she has misinterpreted the situation.

2.

Ques:2) With

whom should she discuss the issue, if anyone?

At some universities, lab notebooks and other relevant material are impounded immediately upon receipt of a formal allegation of research misconduct. Preserving the evidence makes it much easier to arrive at a definitive conclusion regarding the existence of misconduct or the grounds for full exoneration. With this in mind, any actions the student takes should be consistent with the goal of preserving the evidence.

3;) Is there a designated person at your institution to deal with such issues?
Nearly every university has someone designated as their Misconduct Policy Officer (or a similar title) who has the responsibility for initiating inquiries in response to formal allegations. The student may well need to take her allegation to this official. While it is nice to try to handle things internally (for instance working within the department), failed attempts at reaching an internal solution can make the inquiry much harder to pursue. For instance, an individual who is tipped off about a pending allegation by an attempt to resolve the issue internally has more time to cover his or her tracks and to alter or destroy physical evidence.