FOSTERING INTEGRITY IN RESEARCH

Abstract

Research integrity is essential to the health of the research enterprise, providing the foundation for good science. The past decade has seen a steady flow of high-profile cases of data fabrication from around the world, a sharp increase in retractions of scientific articles, and an increase in the number of research misconduct allegations investigated by U.S. research institutions. Research misconduct and detrimental research practices can damage science and its reputation. Much still needs to be learned about why researchers engage in these behaviors. Future studies should focus not only on individual behavior but also on practices, incentives, and institutional environments. Mitigating hypercompetitive research environments, setting expectations of integrity and excellence at the highest levels of institutions and professional societies, and creating common standards for authorship, data and model accessibility, and reporting will greatly improve the current situation. Providing tools to institutions to aid in addressing responsible conduct of research education and for handling misconduct is strongly recommended, including establishing an independent Research Integrity Advisory Board to bring neutrality and focus to understanding and responding to research misconduct across all disciplines. This chapter summarizes the key themes, findings, and recommendations of the report Fostering Integrity in Research, released by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in 2017. The report contains broad guidance and specific recommendations for fostering integrity and addressing breaches in integrity directed to all participants in the research enterprise: researchers, research institutions, research sponsors, societies, and science, engineering, technology, and medical publishers.

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