Research integrity: what do international guidelines say?
Although research misconduct is not a recent phenomenon, the extensive and widespread occurrences of such cases are a grave threat to the scientific community and to the literature. The previous year saw a record number of retractions, and 2024 started off with quite a bang too. The infamous AI-generated rat images in a now-retracted paper are still vividly etched in our minds! The upward trend of publishing fraud means that researchers need to be more vigilant than ever before about all aspects of research integrity and publication ethics.
Unethical publishing practices can arise from both intentional and unintentional actions. Intentional misconduct may include actions like fabricating data, manipulating results, or plagiarizing content. These actions are often driven by a desire to boost one’s reputation or secure funding. On the other hand, inadvertent unethical practices may stem from a lack of understanding of established guidelines around conducting and publishing research. Either way, these practices can damage the integrity of research and undermine the trust in scholarly publications.
Researchers are involved in the planning, conduct, and reporting of studies and should be held accountable for any misconduct. This is precisely why they must be very clear on the standards of research integrity every step of the way. At this point, when newer challenges in academic publishing are emerging, such as AI-generated content, a list of relevant resources for researchers to refer to when in doubt is timely and important.
Below is a handy collection of such resources.
1. Recommendations by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors
The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) publishes recommendations for the conduct, reporting, editing, and publication of scholarly work in medical journals. These recommendations cover ethical standards for authorship, peer review, and editorial practices. This set of guidelines, updated as recently as January 2024, will be a good resource for researchers to refer to from time to time.
2. Resources from the United States Office of Research Integrity
The US Office of Research Integrity (ORI) provides a wealth of resources, including handbooks and guidelines, on various matters related to research integrity. The following two sets of guidelines will be useful to researchers:
2.1 Introduction to the responsible conduct of research: This booklet covers ethical aspects in research from early stages of planning to conducting, reporting, and reviewing research (under parts II to IV).
2.2 ORI’s guide to ethical writing: This guide to ethical writing provides pointers for avoiding questionable writing practices such as plagiarism.
3. Guidelines around the use of AI tools
3.1 Committee on Publication Ethics: The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) issued its position on authorship and AI tools. Most journals are in agreement with COPE’s stand on AI tools.
3.2 Elsevier’s guidelines: Publishing giant Elsevier has provided a comprehensive guide to contributing authors on the use of generative AI and AI-assisted tools in scholarly writing, as well as in figures, images, and artwork. The resource also includes a list of relevant FAQs.
3.3 World Association of Medical Editors: The recommendations of the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) regarding chatbots and generative AI in scholarly publications were last revised in May 2023. This resource aims to inform authors on how to attribute the use of chatbots in their work.
3.4 Paperpal’s ready reckoner: It is clear that there is a proliferation of AI tools, and accordingly, a proliferation of relevant guidelines! The plethora of AI-related guidelines might seem overwhelming. However, Paperpal, the provider of a popular AI-powered academic writing tool, has compiled a simple guide outlining the dos and don’ts for using generative AI tools. This roadmap is easy to assimilate and will help researchers understand and remember how to use AI ethically and effectively in their academic endeavors.
4. Wiley’s Best Practice Guidelines on Research Integrity and Publishing Ethics
Wiley’s guidelines on best practices for research integrity and publishing ethics constitute an exhaustive resource on the topic. They are not just relevant to Wiley publications but also provide support to all those involved in scholarly publishing in general.
5. The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity
The European Science Foundation and All European Academies (ALLEA) developed the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity, which deals with “good research practices” in considerable detail.
6. The Singapore Statement on Research Integrity
A set of international guidelines was developed by the World Conferences on Research Integrity (WCRI), outlining four principles of research integrity and 14 key responsibilities to keep in mind. In fact, it might be a good idea to follow the outcomes of the annual WCRI conferences; the upcoming 8th WCRI will discuss paper mills and the intersection of AI and research integrity.
7. Additional resources
Besides these established resources, authors may also find specific guidelines relevant to the bodies that fund their research, academic societies they are affiliated with, or journals they are targeting.
7.1 Research institutions and funding agencies
Many research institutions and funding agencies have their own specific guidelines on research integrity. Researchers could consult their institution’s policies and any relevant guidelines from funding bodies they are applying to.
7. 2 Professional societies and associations
Professional societies and associations have codes of ethics or conduct that address research integrity. These can be valuable resources for researchers in specific disciplines.
7. 3 Author information provided by scholarly journals
Author guidelines of scholarly journals provide specific guidelines regarding research integrity, which typically align with the guidelines listed from 1 to 6 above. Authors must make it a standard practice to scrutinize every section of the author guidelines, particularly the points around ethics before submitting their manuscript.
Final notes
Research misconduct translates into a colossal wastage of resources and distortion of the foundation of evidence. Several international guidelines on good research practices and publication ethics are available. It is important to note that they are subject to change, given the dynamic nature of academic publishing. Researchers must stay abreast of the latest guidelines by routinely checking key resources to ensure that they are following best practices related to writing and publishing their work.
Comments
You're looking to give wings to your academic career and publication journey. We like that!
Why don't we give you complete access! Create a free account and get unlimited access to all resources & a vibrant researcher community.
Subscribe to Conducting Research
