Unscrupulous scientists make up data out of whole cloth or manipulate images. “Paper mills” churn out thousands of fake manuscripts and sell authorship slots to researchers eager to boost their CV. Authors plagiarise each other’s papers or fail to disclose conflicts of interest. More and more examples of shady scientific behaviour are coming to light—and they’re eroding public confidence in the scientific enterprise.

Exposing misconduct as a science journalist can be exciting, and it’s important work—but it’s also tricky terrain. How can you be sure someone committed fraud, and what are your legal risks if you write about it? Can you rely on the growing number of ‘sleuths,’ the savvy, sometimes snarky scientists who specialise in exposing misconduct? How do you work with whistleblowers who have witnessed misconduct up close but fear for their careers if they talk to a journalist?

In this session, you’ll learn why misconduct is such a pervasive problem in science, and how you can cover it, from a top investigative journalist and an experienced science detective.