In a significant development for the scientific community, Crossref, the global infrastructure supporting research communications, has acquired the Retraction Watch database, a renowned resource for tracking retractions in academic publishing. The announcement, made jointly by Crossref and the Center for Scientific Integrity, the organization responsible for the Retraction Watch blog and database, signals a collaborative effort to enhance transparency and trustworthiness in scholarly outputs.
Both Crossref and the Center for Scientific Integrity are not-for-profit organizations with a shared mission to facilitate the evaluation of the reliability of academic research. Retractions play a pivotal role in maintaining the integrity of scientific scholarship, serving as a vital mechanism for self-regulation within the academic community. However, the exponential growth of academic journals and papers has made identifying and tracking retractions increasingly challenging for publishers and readers alike, raising concerns about the accuracy of citations and references.
Under this agreement, the Retraction Watch database will be made publicly accessible, ensuring its continual population and openness. Publishers will also have the option to register their retraction notices directly with Crossref. This collaborative approach aims to create the most extensive open-source database of retractions, reducing duplication and increasing efficiency, transparency, and accessibility for all stakeholders in the scientific community.
It is important to note that the Center for Scientific Integrity and the Retraction Watch blog will remain separate entities from Crossref. They will continue their crucial journalistic work investigating retractions and related issues, with the agreement's scope limited to the database itself. Crossref will maintain its neutral position as a facilitator in efforts to evaluate the quality of scientific works, emphasizing the role of publishers as the primary stewards of the scholarly record. Publishers are encouraged to prioritize the addition of retractions to their Crossref metadata.
To delve deeper into this transformative development in the pursuit of research integrity, individuals interested in the subject are invited to join Crossref and Retraction Watch leadership, along with other special guests, for a community call scheduled for September 27 at 1 p.m. UTC. This event promises to be an opportunity for discussions and insights into the collaborative efforts to uphold the standards of scientific research.
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