Characterizing the effect of retractions on publishing careers

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 the citations of co-authors; however, the broader impacts beyond these have not been fully explored. Here we address this gap by leveraging Retraction Watch, the most extensive dataset 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 a retraction, especially if their retractions attract widespread attention. However, retracted authors who remain active in publishing maintain and establish more collaborations compared with their similar non-retracted counterparts. Nevertheless, retracted authors generally retain less senior and less productive co-authors, but gain more impactful co-authors post-retraction. Our findings suggest that retractions may impose a disproportionate impact on early career authors.