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.