Arguing that there never was a time when politicians did not prevaricate and when some communities did not doubt conclusions that others considered to be facts, The Measurement of Information Integrity puts the post-truth era in context and offers measures for integrity in the modern world.
Incorporating international examples from a range of disciplines, this book provides the reader with tools that will help them to evaluate public statements - especially ones involving the sciences and scholarship. It also provides intellectual tools to those who must assess potential violations of public or academic integrity. Many of these tools involve measurement mechanisms, ways of putting cases into context, and a recognition that few cases are simple black-and-white violations. Demonstrating that a binary approach to judging research integrity fails to recognize the complexity of the environment, Seadle highlights that even flawed discoveries may still contain value. Finally, the book reminds its reader that research integrity takes different forms in different disciplines and that each one needs separate consideration, even if the general principles remain the same for all.
The Measurement of Information Integrity will help those who want to do research well, as well as those who must ascertain whether results have failed to meet the standards of the community. It will be of particular interest to researchers and students engaged in the study of library and information science.
List of tables
Preface
Context
How to Read this Book
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1: Introduction and Approach
Introduction
A Note on Vocabulary
Problem statement
Methodology
Literature Review
Summary
Chapter 2: Context and Society
Introduction
Historical Context
Evolution of the Concepts
Incentives and Disincentives
Summary: Social Context and Origin
Chapter 3: Context and Institutions
Introduction
Institutions and Infrastructure
Technology and Tools
Role of Law
Economic Context
Summary
Chapter 4: Disciplines
Introduction
Natural Sciences
Social Sciences
Humanities
Professional Schools
Summary
Chapter 5: Measurement
Introduction
What is Measurement?
Training in Measurement
Institutions and Measurement
Measurement Failures
Summary
Chapter 6: Actors
Introduction
Investigators
Judges
Violators
Victims
Summary
Chapter 7: Conclusion and Consequences
Introduction
Scholarly Fraud
Fraud in the Wider World
Bibliography
Index
Biography
Michael Seadle was long the Director of the Berlin School of Library and Information Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany, and Dean of Humanities. His current research areas include information integrity and digital archiving, and he currently serves as Executive Director of the international iSchools organisation.
