Ethics in competitive research

Ethics in competitive research. Praveen Chaddah. Pothi.com. 2018. 116pp, price not mentioned.

The Prologue of the book on Ethics in competitive research: Do not get scooped, do not get plagiarized begins dramatically with a statement by the author that he is arguably the most plagiarized Indian scientist. When one begins to think that this statement would lead to a deeper understanding of medical writing and the related issues of ethics, the eleven chapters of the book do not really offer new knowledge.

The first chapter is covers how research creates new knowledge, while the second dwells on formulating the right research question. The subsequent chapters are devoted to the dissemination of results and steps to be taken to prevent plagiarism including one’s own work. The author also addresses—though not seamlessly—other aspects of medical writing such as editorial processes and delays that often occur due to various reasons including dubious rejections. The book has essentially put together information that already exists in the public domain with which most scientific writers would be familiar. Some personal insights in the book perhaps may help novice writers.