Political science (canvassing and attitudes to same-sex marriage)
Michael LaCour: Science canvassing study retraction, 2015
Graduate student at UCLA, lead author of the 2014 Science paper
Retracted by journal Science retracted the 2014 paper on 28 May 2015 with his co-author's concurrence and without his agreement, citing misrepresented survey incentives and a false sponsorship statement. No institutional misconduct finding was found in the sources read.1,2
Papers
| Paper | Action | Date | Reason stated |
|---|---|---|---|
| When contact changes minds: An experiment on transmission of support for gay equality (with Donald P. Green) Science, 2014 https://www.povertyactionlab.org/sites/default/files/2015.05.28-Science-LaCourGreen.pdf1,2 | Retracted | 28 May 2015 | Science said survey incentives were misrepresented and the sponsorship statement was false, both confirmed by his attorney, noted statistical irregularities, and said he had not produced the original survey data. |
Investigations
- Science (editor-in-chief Marcia McNutt), 28 May 2015Science editor-in-chief Marcia McNutt retracted the 12 December 2014 report with the concurrence of co-author Donald P. Green. The notice states that he does not agree to the retraction. It is a journal retraction, not a misconduct finding.1
Response
In a response reported by the Daily Bruin, he said he takes "full responsibility for errors in the design, implementation and data collection" and apologized for misrepresenting survey incentives and funding, while disputing his critics' analysis.1,3
Sources
- Science (copy hosted by J-PAL), Editorial retraction (Retraction of LaCour and Green, Science 346 (6215) 1366 to 1369) (28 May 2015)
- Retraction Watch, Science retracts troubled gay canvassing study against LaCour's objections (28 May 2015)
- Daily Bruin, Graduate student responds to allegations of falsifying data in study (29 May 2015)