Definitions
Research misconduct is defined as fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research results, according to42 CFR Part 93
.
IMPORTANT:
Research misconduct does NOT include honest error or differences of opinion
Fabrication:Making up data or results and recording or reporting them
- A possible example of fabrication: In order to meet recruitment pressure and expectations, a study coordinator completed trial enrollment forms using faked names and participants' information.
- Vermont investigator Eric Poehlman made up patients' data that never existed to support his scientific claims. Read about "Poehlman's case"
in the New York Times - Read June 2012 article "Parkinson's Researcher Fabricated Data"in The Scientist
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.
- Investigators might falsify results by 'splicing and pasting' together different segments of western blot images so that the final image presented appeared to have come from a single western blot procedure.
- Harvard investigator Marc Hauser was found to have fabricated and manipulated research results. Read about "Hauser's case"in Boston.com
- Read news article "Image Manipulation: CSI: cell biology"in Nature.com
Plagiarism:The appropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit.
ORI'spolicyon Plagiarismexcludes:
- the limited use of identical or nearly-identical (general) phrases that are not substantially misleading or of great significance
- disputes among former collaborators
This page last updated on: November 29, 2018
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