Ways in Which Scientific Integrity Policies Can Be Violated

Type of Violation

Description

Research Misconduct

In proposing, performing, or reviewing research or in reporting research results:

  • Fabrication: Making up data or results and recording or reporting them.

  • Falsification: Manipulating research materials, equipment or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.

  • Plagiarism: Appropriation of another person’s ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit.

Flawed Scientific Practice

  • Use of improper or inappropriate methods or processes in conducting research.

  • Lack of adherence to practices for research quality, such as laboratory facility accreditation, quality assurance systems, and methods validation.

Flawed Review

  • Undue influence or inadequate technical or peer review, including errors introduced within the review or clearance process, limiting scope of a review or peer review charge.

  • Untenable timelines for review that result in flawed or incomplete reviews.

  • Changing membership or structure of Federal Advisory Committees in ways that compromise their independence or eliminate needed expertise.

  • Failing to respond to reviewers’ comments and/or selecting specific reviewers to influence the outcome of a review.

  • Denying scientists the opportunity to review descriptions of their scientific work included in other documentation, e.g., decision documents, policy reports.

Undermining the Scientific Workforce

  • Selection or appointment of scientific staff based on non-science qualifications (e.g., to influence science in order to affect a particular policy outcome, reduce the overall quality of research findings, or diminish the public view and understanding of the science).

  • Undermining the expertise of Federal scientists by re-assignment to other duties or denying career advancement.

Suppression, Delay, or Censorship

  • Preventing or delaying the release of a scientific product without scientific justification.

  • Failure to allow the inclusion of research, analysis, or technological information that well-established practices would consider necessary for decision-making.

Mischaracterization of Science

  • Downplaying or exaggerating results.

  • Exaggerating uncertainty and/or not including or misrepresenting assumptions.

Manipulation of Science

  • Altering, distorting, or changing science or scientific documents or documents derived from them without scientific justification.

This document is only available to subscribers. Please log in or purchase access.


Would you like to read this entire article?

If you already subscribe to this publication, just log in. If not, let us send you an email with a link that will allow you to read the entire article for free. Just complete the following form.

* required field