Ph.D. degrees are retracted if the dissertation is later found to lack novelty
the verdict
REFUTED
the evidence says no
refutedsupported
the weight of evidence
0 sources for · 1 against
AS REPORTEDno primary record reached; this is what the reporting says
Available academic discussions indicate that discovering a lack of novelty in a dissertation after graduation rarely results in the retraction of a Ph.D. degree unless there was deliberate misconduct like plagiarism or hiding information.
# Will the PhD degree be retracted if the thesis is found to be not novel?
Tags: phd, thesis, publishability, thesis-committee, india
- Score: 25
- Views: 14772
- Answers: 7
- Answered: yes
- Asked by: hanugm (8055 rep)
- Asked: 2019-01-31
- Site: academia
## Question
Suppose a person got PhD degree by properly submitting his/her thesis on a particular topic. Assume that neither the student nor the doctoral review committee including supervisor knows that the proposal is not a novel.
Later at some point of time if it comes to know that the student got PhD without any novelty. Then does the PhD degree get withdrawn?
## Answers
### Answer by Buffy (score: 45)
It would be very rare for such a thing to happen. However, it might depend on the circumstances behind it. If it was nothing more than a misjudgment by the candidate and the committee or some missed (but relatively obscure) information that wasn't included, probably nothing would happen. People would just say "oh well..." and let it go.
However, if some misconduct occurred, such as hiding information or plagiarizing other work, then it could result in withdrawal. But then, it wouldn't be for lack of novelty, but for th