Behavioural ecology (spider behaviour)
Jonathan Pruitt: Spider behaviour datasets, 2020 to 2023
McMaster University, Canada (papers in question date from his earlier posts at other institutions)
Misconduct found Resigned in 2022 from his Canada 150 Research Chair at McMaster University after a settlement with the university, according to Retraction Watch citing Science, and the university's hearings committee found falsification and fabrication in May 2023.1,2,4
Papers
| Paper | Action | Date | Reason stated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper co-authored with Kate Laskowski The American Naturalist, 2016 https://retractionwatch.com/2020/01/29/authors-questioning-papers-at-nearly-two-dozen-journals-in-wake-of-spider-paper-retraction/3 | Retracted | January 2020 | Retraction Watch reported the retraction led co-authors to question papers at nearly two dozen journals. The notice text was not read. |
| 15 papers retracted between 2020 and 2023, and six others corrected or given expressions of concern Multiple journals, https://retractionwatch.com/2023/05/10/spider-researcher-jonathan-pruitt-faked-data-in-multiple-papers-university-finds/2 | Retracted | 2020 to 2023 | Retraction Watch counted 15 retractions in three years by May 2023. |
Investigations
- McMaster University hearings committee (investigation led by arbitrator William Kaplan), May 2023Found that Pruitt engaged in data falsification and fabrication in several papers, before he joined McMaster, and breached the university's Research Integrity Policy.1,4,2
Response
He did not respond to a Retraction Watch request for comment on the findings in May 2023.2
Sources
- McMaster University Daily News, Update on research misconduct case (May 2023)
- Retraction Watch, Spider researcher Jonathan Pruitt faked data in multiple papers, university finds (10 May 2023)
- Retraction Watch, Authors questioning papers at nearly two dozen journals in wake of spider paper retraction (29 January 2020)
- Academica Group, McMaster investigation concludes that former faculty member falsified, fabricated research (18 May 2023)