The Credibility Crisis in Science by Thomas Plümper - ISBN: 9780262051279
Paperback
Science’s hidden fraud: tweaks undermine trust, demanding new solutions.

The Credibility Crisis in Science

Tweakers, Fraudsters, and the Manipulation of Empirical Results

$109.51

  • Paperback

    280 pages

  • Release Date

    14 April 2026

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Summary

A novel perspective on scientific fraud—how undisclosed “tweaks” to research designs and model specifications fuel the credibility crisis in science.

In The Credibility Crisis in Science, leading social scientists Thomas Plümper and Eric Neumayer argue that the most impactful fraud is crucially under-recognized. While data fabrication and manipulation are widely recognized as fraudulent, “tweaks”—the intentional selection of research designs and model specifications based on …

Book Details

ISBN-13:9780262051279
ISBN-10:0262051273
Author:Thomas Plümper, Eric Neumayer
Publisher:MIT Press Ltd
Imprint:MIT Press
Format:Paperback
Number of Pages:280
Release Date:14 April 2026
Weight:369g
Dimensions:152mm x 229mm
A-Format
B-Format
The Credibility Crisis in Science by Thomas Plümper - ISBN: 9780262051279
152 × 229 mm
C-Format
A4
mm / in
What They're Saying

Critics Review

ENDORSEMENTS

“Data fabrication and manipulation damage scientific credibility. Plümper and Neumayer argue that ‘tweaking’ is an even more prevalent and problematic form of scientific fraud. A must-read for anyone trying to counter declining trust in science.”
—Matt Golder, Professor of Political Science, Pennsylvania State University

“This is a tremendously important and well-written book. It tackles the problem of scientific fraud with a depth and clarity that I found both novel and persuasive. The authors have convinced me that the ‘gray zone’ of scientific misconduct—what they call tweaking—deserves far more attention than I gave it in my own work. This is a book that deserves to be widely read.”
—Lee McIntyre, author of On Disinformation and How to Talk to a Science Denier

“Tweaking and fraud provide background conditions under which routine junk science can thrive. This new book provides a thoughtful tour of the problem and potential solutions.”
—Andrew Gelman, Higgins Professor of Statistics, Columbia University; author of Regression and Other Stories

“This book cuts through the fog of questionable research practices to show why science too often fails to deliver on its promise, and what can be done about it. A sharp, timely, and essential read.”
—Abel Brodeur, Professor, University of Ottawa; Founder and Chair, Institute for Replication

About The Author

Thomas Plümper

Thomas Plümper is Professor of Quantitative Social Research at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and Head of the Department of Socioeconomics. He is author of numerous articles and coauthor, with Eric Neumayer, of Robustness Tests for Quantitative Research.

Eric Neumayer is Professor of Environment and Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and a recipient of the Philip Leverhulme Prize in Geography. He is LSE’s Deputy President and Vice Chancellor.

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