About the records
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| Title | Records of Dr Jan Sapp Regarding the Briggs Affair |
| Date Range | 1976 - 1989 |
| Reference | MS 13603 |
| Creator | Dr Jan Anthony Sapp (1954 - ) |
| Extent | 0.2125 metres (17 items) |
| Repository | State Library of Victoria |
| Abstract | This is a guide to records collected by Dr Jan Sapp about an investigation at Deakin University of a case of scientific fraud (c.1983-c.1986). The case centred on the research of Professor Michael Harvey Briggs, who ultimately confessed to having fabricated research findings on an oral contraceptive pill. |
Administrative Information
- The collection is comprised of records from 1 accessions. The codes used to uniquely identify each accession range from SAPP96/0001 to SAPP96/0001.
- The records have been allocated to 9 series. The codes used to uniquely identify each series range from SAPS01 to SAPS09.
- Through the processing of the records, 3 provenance entities were identified. The codes used to uniquely identify each provenance entity, i.e. records creator or custodian, range from 00001 to 00003.
- The inventory covers 17 items, and may include records of continuing value, records sentenced for destruction and records that have been destroyed. The codes used to uniquely identify each inventory item range from SAPP00001 to SAPP00017. The total collection occupies 21 linear cm of shelf space (or its equivalent).
- The documentation of the records at inventory level started on 11 November 1996. The latest additions were made on 14 November 1996. The latest modifications were made on 28 September 2009. This collection profile was updated on 27 July 2010.
Scope and Content
These records were brought together by Dr Jan Sapp of the History and Philosophy of Science Department at Melbourne University in preparation to research the Briggs affair. The Sapp Collection contains documents provided to Dr Sapp by Deakin University, papers from the private collection of the then Vice Chancellor of Deakin University, Professor Fred R. Jevons, and a quantity of newspaper cuttings taken from various Australian newspapers.
Further information about this guide and the records it describes, including transfer arrangements, custodianship and other contextual information, is held in the office files and the Heritage Documentation Management System (HDMS) database at the eScholarship Research Centre, University of Melbourne.
Key Events in the Briggs Affair
The months in this chronology have been provided as a guide and should be confirmed against records in the collection or other records.November 1983
A complaint is lodged by Dr Jim Rossiter, Head of the Deakin University Ethics Committee, against two research papers published by Professor Michael Briggs, in conjunction with his wife, Maxine, in 1979 and 1980. The papers concern the effects of an oral contraceptive pill. The university initiates a Preliminary Committee of Inquiry.September 1984
In an invocation of the Visitor system of University appeal, Michael Briggs petitions the Governor of Victoria, Rear-Admiral Sir Brian Murray, in relation to the Preliminary Committee of Inquiry.February 1985
Sir Brian Murray rules against Deakin University, upholding Michael Briggs’ petition and criticising the Vice-Chancellor of Deakin University, Professor Fred R. Jevons, for failing to exercise his discretion in referring the matter to a preliminary inquiry.June 1985
A new inquiry is initiated by three prominent Victorian medical specialists who allege gross misconduct against Michael Briggs. The complainants are Dr Bryan Hudson, Professor Henry Burger and Jim Rossiter. Their concerns are published in a letter to the medical journal, Contraception.October 1985
Michael Briggs resigns from Deakin University and the inquiry proceedings cease. By this time Briggs has left Australia, and is believed to be living in the south of Spain.October 1986
Michael Briggs confesses scientific fraud to journalist, Brian Deer. His statement is subsequently published in The Sunday Times.December 1986
Newspapers report that Michael Briggs has died in Spain.Access Conditions
Access conditions apply to Series 9 - "What is Truth?" Manuscript by Professor Fred R. Jevons. Readers interested in viewing the records in this series should consult the Manuscripts Librarian at the State Library of Victoria for more information.How These Records Can Be Used
Researchers wishing to consult these records will need to contact the State Library of Victoria regarding the access conditions that may apply to specific series or inventory items.Where material from the Records of Dr Jan Sapp Regarding the Briggs Affair is copied or quoted the source of the material must be acknowledged.
Preferred Citation
Records from the collection should be cited as [Inventory item number and title], [Series number], Records of Dr Jan Sapp Regarding the Briggs Affair, MS 13603, State Library of Victoria, Australia.For citation of the published guide, an acceptable form would be: Ailie Smith and Ann McCarthy, Guide to the Records of Dr Jan Sapp Regarding the Briggs Affair, The University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre, 2007 [URL and date accessed].
Publication History
This is the first edition of the Guide to the Records of Dr Jan Sapp Regarding the Briggs Affair.Copyright
The Guide to the Records of Dr Jan Sapp Regarding the Briggs Affair has been published by the University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre (previously the Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre). You may download, temporarily store in cache and display the material on this web site in unaltered form only. You may also print and copy the material on this site in unaltered form as permitted by the Copyright Act 1968 only (retaining this copyright notice). This guide is the result of serious scholarly research and must be formally acknowledged as such when the guide itself or the records it catalogues are cited.The Records of Dr Jan Sapp Regarding the Briggs Affair are held by the State Library of Victoria. The State Library of Victoria manages any rights (including moral rights) in all material contained in the Records of Dr Jan Sapp Regarding the Briggs Affair.
All information in the guide to this collection and in the material of the collection itself, served from Australia, is administered under Australian Intellectual Property Laws.
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Published by the The University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre on AustehcWeb, January 2007
9780734040879 Listed by Ailie Smith and Ann McCarthy HTML edition Updated 27 July 2010 http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/guides/sapp/about.htm The template for this finding aid is part of the Heritage Documentation Management System |
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