Proliferation of Faulty Materials Data Analysis in the Literature
Matthew R. Linford, Vincent S. Smentkowski, John T. Grant, C. R. Brundle, Peter M. A. Sherwood, Mark C. Biesinger, Jeff Terry, Kateryna Artyushkova, Alberto Herrera‐Gómez, S. Tougaard, William Skinner, Jean Jacques Strodiot, C. F. McConville, Christopher D. Easton, Thomas R. Gengenbach, George H. Major, Paul Dietrich, Andreas Thißen, Mark Engelhard, C. J. Powell, Karen J. Gaskell, Donald R. Baer
Abstract
As a group of subject matter experts in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), we write this letter to raise awareness of the epidemic of poor and incorrect materials data analysis in the Literature. This is a chronic and growing problem with very undesirable consequences. This issue may contribute to what has been identified as a “reproducibility crisis”1,2 that was the subject of a recent U.S. National Academies study. We are using XPS as one example of what we observe to be a systemic issue.