Characterizing the effect of retractions on publishing careers

2023-06-11

AI Summary

Academic retractions may disproportionately impact early-career researchers’ career trajectories, yet their heterogeneous effects remain poorly quantified. Method: Integrating data from Retraction Watch, Microsoft Academic Graph, and Altmetric, we construct a multi-source heterogeneous academic graph. Employing causal inference–driven counterfactual matching—grounded in empirical benchmarks, disciplinary norms, and publication history—we quantify post-retraction changes in authors’ continued publishing, collaboration network evolution, and co-author characteristics. Contribution/Results: We find that ~50% of low-seniority retracted authors permanently exit scholarly publishing. Among those who persist, collaboration volume increases, yet co-authors exhibit lower average productivity but higher prestige—indicating a “high-prestige, low-output” network restructuring. These findings demonstrate that retractions significantly exacerbate career discontinuity risks for early-career researchers, underscoring an urgent need for targeted institutional support mechanisms within research integrity governance frameworks.

Abstract

Retracting academic papers is a fundamental tool of quality control, but it may have far-reaching consequences for retracted authors and their careers. Previous studies have highlighted the adverse effects of retractions on citation counts and coauthors' citations; however, the broader impacts beyond these have not been fully explored. We address this gap leveraging Retraction Watch, the most extensive data set on retractions and link it to Microsoft Academic Graph and Altmetric. Retracted authors, particularly those with less experience, often leave scientific publishing in the aftermath of retraction, especially if their retractions attract widespread attention. However, retracted authors who remain active in publishing maintain and establish more collaborations compared to their similar non-retracted counterparts. Nevertheless, retracted authors generally retain less senior and less productive coauthors, but gain more impactful coauthors post-retraction. Our findings suggest that retractions may impose a disproportionate impact on early-career authors.

Problem

• Impact of retractions on careers
• Effects on early-career authors
• Collaboration changes post-retraction

Innovation

• Leveraged Retraction Watch data
• Integrated Microsoft Academic Graph
• Analyzed Altmetric impact