What is Research Misconduct?
The University of Colorado's definition of research misconduct includes a number of categories. Research misconduct does not include honest error or differences of opinion.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism involves portraying another person's intellectual property as one's own. The most obvious form of plagiarism is using another's words without using quotation marks and citing the source. More subtle forms may involve appropriating ideas, concepts, or data without credit and then changing the actual language so as to give the impression that the ideas are one's own, or providing a citation for one particular use, but then making extended future use of the original work without further citation.
Fabrication of Data
Fabrication involves making up data, notes, or other research information and reporting them. “Data” refers to whatever forms of evidence are relevant to publication of research in a particular discipline.
Falsification of Data
Falsification involves manipulation of the research process, or
altering or misrepresenting data, so that reported results are not
accurate.
Other Violations
- Failure to comply with established standards regarding author names on publications
- Material failure to comply with Federal requirements for protection of researchers, human subjects, or the public or for ensuring the welfare of laboratory animals
- Retaliation of any kind against a person who reported or provided information about suspected or alleged misconduct and who has not acted in bad faith
- Other serious deviation from accepted practices in proposing, carrying out, reviewing, or reporting results from research
Links
Federal
Policy on Research Misconduct
Office of
Research Integrity, Public Health Service definition of plagiarism
for federally-supported research