Research manipulation mapped in new forensic scientometrics report

Phys · May 06, 2026 · 707 words · By Digital Science; Research Solutions Ltd

Forensic Scientometrics Scientific Misconduct Research Integrity

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What to know about Forensic Scientometrics

The article announces the release of the FoSci Report 2026, which documents various forms of research manipulation and systemic failures in scientific publishing. It features statements from the report's editors regarding the need for coordinated institutional action to protect research integrity.

Propaganda risk 20%

Claims checked 8

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center100%

Right0%

1 source compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Research manipulation mapped in new forensic scientometrics report Gaby Clark scientific editor Alexander Pol deputy editor The Forensic Scientometrics (FoSci) movement has published its first report, bringing together leading experts from across the research…

Why it matters

The FoSci Report 2026: Understanding, Detecting, and Documenting Manipulation in the Research Ecosystem, has been launched at this week's 9th World Conference on Research Integrity (WCRI), in Vancouver, Canada.

Common ground

The report is a thorough account of the threats facing scientific publishing—from individual paper-level fraud to coordinated criminal networks, to systemic structural failures, and risks to government research and research security.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Appeal to Fear: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Forensic Scientometrics story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Report co-editor and FoSci movement co-founder Dr. Leslie McIntosh (VP of Research Integrity & Security, Digital Science) launched the FoSci Report as part of her presentation at WCRI?
How does this story connect Forensic Scientometrics with Scientific Misconduct over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-forensic-scientometrics.html

analyticsAnalysis

20%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 95%

Minor concerns. Some persuasive language detected, but largely factual.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Appeal to Fear 60% confidence

Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.

Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to fear helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 8 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 5

verified Verified 2

info Single Source 1

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Claim 1: “Report co-editor and FoSci movement co-founder Dr. Leslie McIntosh (VP of Research Integrity & Security, Digital Science) launched the FoSci Report as part of her presentation at WCRI.”

CORROBORATED

Digital Science and LinkedIn profiles confirm Dr. Leslie McIntosh's role as VP of Research Integrity & Security at Digital Science, co-founder of FoSci, and her role in launching the report at WCRI.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of notable individuals and organizations who endorsed Joe Biden's campaign for president of the United States in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Endorsements listed once each.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Joe_Biden_2020_preside…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of notable non-political figures and organizations that endorsed the Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Kamala_Harris_2024_pre…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Sid the Science Kid, also known as Jim Henson's Sid the Science Kid, is an American animated educational children's television series produced by The Jim Henson Company in association with PBS affilia…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_the_Science_Kid

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 2: “the report marks a significant milestone for a movement that was established just two years ago.”

CORROBORATED

The claim that the movement was established two years prior is supported by the Digital Science report and the timeline established by the 2024 Paris Declaration.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The Forensic Scientometrics (FoSci) movement has published its first report, bringing together leading experts from across the research investigative community to document, scrutinize, and address a c…
https://phys.org/news/2026-05-forensic-scientometrics.html

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web search NEUTRAL — Phys.org pinned post. 06-05-2026. The Forensic Scientometrics (FoSci) movement has published its first report, bringing together leading experts from across the research investigative community to doc…
https://vk.com/wall-181052480_72845

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web search NEUTRAL — The emergence of forensic scientometrics as a field is reflected in several signals or indicators: Increased Attention to Research Misconduct: There is growing awareness and concern about issues such …
https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2024/04/02/guest-post-fo…

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Claim 3: “Since the FoSci Paris Declaration was signed in 2024”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources (Digital Science, Mirage News, and a dedicated declaration page) confirm the FoSci Paris Declaration was signed in December 2024.

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web search NEUTRAL — Wednesday 18 December 2024. Supporters of research integrity have signed a new declaration calling for data-driven forensics – known as Forensic Scientometrics (FoSci) – to lead the charge in detectin…
https://www.digital-science.com/blog/2024/12/paris-declarati…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Supporters of research integrity have signed a new declaration calling for data-driven forensics – known as Forensic Scientometrics (FoSci) – to lead.This declaration is a call for action: join us." T…
https://www.miragenews.com/paris-declaration-urges-data-driv…

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web search NEUTRAL — In 2024, FoSci piloted its initiative with a series of events and outputs, including the release of foundational publications, training courses, and strategic meetings. Notably, the FoSci Paris Declar…
https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2025/01/13/the-genesis-a…

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Claim 4: “The FoSci Report 2026: Understanding, Detecting, and Documenting Manipulation in the Research Ecosystem, has been launched at this week's 9th World Conference on Research Integrity (WCRI), in Vancouver, Canada.”

CORROBORATED

The launch of the 'FoSci Report 2026' at the 9th World Conference on Research Integrity (WCRI) in Vancouver, Canada, is confirmed by Digital Science and the WCRIF website.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — archive.today (also known as archive.is, among other domains) is a web archiving website that saves snapshots on demand. It has support for JavaScript-heavy sites such as Google Maps and X. archive.to…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archive.today

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Sir David Frederick Attenborough (; born 8 May 1926) is an English broadcaster, natural historian and writer. His presenting career began as host of Zoo Quest in 1954, and has spanned eight decades; …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Attenborough

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), formerly the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), is an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1924, coordinating, supporting and promoting an…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Organisation_for_Animal_…

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 5: “Leslie D. McIntosh et al, Forensic Scientometrics (FoSci) Report 2026: Understanding, Detecting, and Documenting Manipulation in the Research Ecosystem, figshare (2026). DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.32178456”

VERIFIED

The Digital Science report explicitly cites the figshare DOI 10.6084/m9.figshare.32178456 as the location of the FoSci Maturity Model 2026/Report.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The FoSci Maturity Model 2026. Credit: figshare (2026). DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.32178456. The Forensic Scientometrics (FoSci) movement has published its first report, bringing together leading expert…
https://phys.org/news/2026-05-forensic-scientometrics.html

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In this paper, we present an analysis of figshare, one of the largest multidisciplinary repositories for research materials to date.In altmetrics 14. Workshop at the Web Science Conference, Bloomingto…
https://www.academia.edu/50051074/Research_Data_Explored_II_…

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web search NEUTRAL — Original language. English. Place of Publication. Figshare. Number of pages. 100.Primary-aged students have neither had enough time at school to experience collaborative learning nor develop relations…
https://researchprofiles.canberra.edu.au/en/publications/sta…

info

Claim 6: “Bringing together contributions from 17 experts spanning academia, publishing, and independent research integrity investigation (or "sleuthing")”

SINGLE SOURCE

The specific detail regarding '17 experts' is mentioned in the Digital Science report summary, but not independently corroborated by other sources.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Sarocha Chankimha (Thai: สโรชา จันทร์กิมฮะ; born 8 August 1998), nicknamed Freen (Thai: ฟรีน), is a Thai actress, singer, model, and entrepreneur. She is best known for her lead role as Khun Sam in Ga…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarocha_Chankimha

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 7: “The report's editors also include Professor Dorothy Bishop (Emeritus Professor of Developmental Neuropsychology, University of Oxford), and Professor Guillaume Cabanac (Professor of Computer Science, University of Toulouse and Institut universitaire de France (IUF)).”

VERIFIED

Digital Science identifies Professor Dorothy Bishop and Professor Guillaume Cabanac as editors. Wikipedia confirms Dorothy Bishop's role as Emeritus Professor of Developmental Neuropsychology at Oxford, and CNRS News confirms Guillaume Cabanac's research activities.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — David Edward Jenkins (26 January 1925 – 4 September 2016) was a Church of England cleric and theologian. He was Bishop of Durham from 1984 until 1994. After his retirement, he continued to serve as an…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jenkins_(bishop)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Dorothy Vera Margaret Bishop (born 14 February 1952) is a British psychologist specialising in developmental disorders specifically, developmental language impairments. She is Emeritus Professor of De…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothy_V._M._Bishop

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Professor of Poetry is an academic appointment at the University of Oxford. The chair was created in 1708 by an endowment from the estate of Henry Birkhead. The professorship carries an obligatio…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professor_of_Poetry

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 8: “The Forensic Scientometrics (FoSci) movement has published its first report”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources (Digital Science, VK/Phys.org) confirm that the Forensic Scientometrics (FoSci) movement has published its first report.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators is a multidimensional ranking of the world's scientists produced since 2015 by a team of researchers led by John P. A. Ioannidis …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science-wide_author_databases_…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Actor–network theory (ANT) is a theoretical and methodological approach to social theory where everything in the social and natural worlds exists in constantly shifting networks of relationships. It p…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actor–network_theory

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Forensic linguistics, legal linguistics, or language and the law is the application of linguistic knowledge, methods, and insights to the forensic context of law, language, crime investigation, trial,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_linguistics

+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.