Errata in Previous Research

 

Description of the Problem

A research group publishes a couple of papers on an important discovery in two different high-impact journals. A new graduate student is given the task of reproducing and extending the work of the advisor and a postdoc. After several weeks of experimentation, he realizes that he cannot reproduce the work reported earlier. He even has an explanation for the error.

Questions

• What is the optimum course of action for the student?
• What is the optimum course of action for the advisor?
• What is the optimum course of action for the postdoc, who in the interim, has left to take up a new job?

Errata in Previous Research Discussion