Examples
Worked examples
- Is an instance
A postdoctoral researcher inserts fabricated Western blot lanes into a figure to support a hypothesis and submits the manuscript for publication.
Counter-examples
Looks similar, but isn't
- Not an instance
A researcher whose calibration error produces incorrect values and who, on discovering the error, files a correction with the journal.
Editorial commentary
The US federal definition (42 CFR Part 93) restricts misconduct to FFP and explicitly excludes honest error and good-faith differences of opinion. Other jurisdictions adopt broader definitions: the UK Research Integrity Office and ALLEA include additional violations such as undisclosed conflicts of interest, ghost authorship, peer-review manipulation, and gross negligence. Distinguish from 'questionable research practices' (QRPs) which sit below the misconduct threshold but still erode trust.
References
- US Office of Research Integrity, 42 CFR Part 93 (2005)
- UKRIO Code of Practice for Research (2009, updated 2022)
- ALLEA European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (2023)
Also known as
FFP · scientific misconduct · academic misconduct
Machine-readable encodings
Use in your systems
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