Although Lawrence Cranberg's opinion piece on plagiarism in science ("The Plague Of Plagiarism Persists In Modern Science," The Scientist, Feb. 3, 1992, page 11) included several useful insights, I must take exception to Cranberg's characterization of the American Association for the Advancement of Science's handling of its 1967 survey of members on ethics in science. While the results of the survey were never published, the report by Anatol Rapoport is available from my office.
On the larger set of issues related to ethics in science, the AAAS record in recent years should ensure that "no one is tempted to wonder" about the association's position and contributions toward resolving these complex matters. Since 1987, AAAS has convened several workshops, conferences, symposia, and a practicum on misconduct in science; in 1988 it launched a quarterly newsletter, Professional Ethics Report; and it has conducted a number of research projects on a wide range...
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