Good research practices are based on the fundamental principles of research integrity. These guide researchers in their work and their engagement with the practical, ethical, and intellectual challenges associated with research.

Fundamental principles of research integrity:

• Reliability in ensuring the quality of research is reflected in its design, methodology, analysis, and use of resources.

• Honesty in developing, conducting, reviewing, reporting, and communicating research results in a transparent, fair, complete, and unbiased manner.

• Respect for colleagues, research participants, society, ecosystems, cultural heritage, and the environment.

• Accountability for research from idea to publication, for its management and organization, for training, supervision, and mentoring, and its broader impact.

Good research practice:

Research environment:

• Within the research environment, awareness is promoted and the prevalence of a culture of research integrity prevails.

• Proper infrastructure for data management and protection is supported.

Research procedures:

• Researchers consider the state-of-the-art in developing research ideas.

• Researchers design, implement, analyze, and document research in a responsible manner.

• Researchers publish results and interpretations of research in an open, honest, transparent, and accurate manner and respect the confidentiality of data or findings when required by law.

• Research results are reported to be compatible with the standards of the discipline, and if applicable, can be verified and reproduced.

Safeguards:

• Researchers comply with codes and regulations relevant to their discipline.

• Research subjects are handled with respect and care and in line with applicable legal and ethical guidelines.

• Researchers regard the health, safety and welfare of the community, collaborators and others connected with their research.

• Researchers recognize and manage potential harms and risks relating to their research.

Data practices and management:

• Researchers and research institutions ensure secure stewardship and curation of all data.

• Researchers and research institutions ensure access to data is as open as possible, and as closed as necessary.

• Researchers and research institutions provide transparency about how to access or make use of their data and research materials.

Collaborative working:

• All actors involved in a research collaboration

  • are responsible for the research integrity.

  • find common ground on the research goals as well as its publication in full transparency and openness.

  • find common ground on expectations and standards regarding research integrity, applicable laws and regulations, protection of the intellectual property of collaborators and standards for cases requiring conflict resolution.

  • are well informed and consulted about procedures of submission for publication of the research results.

Publication and Dissemination:

• All authors take full responsibility for the content of a publication unless stated otherwise.

• All authors agree on the order of authorship and acknowledge that authorship itself is based on a significant contribution to the research design, data collection, analysis, or discussion.

• Authors will ensure that their work is accessible to colleagues in a timely, open, transparent, and accurate manner unless otherwise agreed.

• The important contribution of other actors is acknowledged and cited accordingly by the author.

• The author discloses conflicts of interest regarding the research or its results.

• Negative or unexpected results are considered as relevant and valid as positive or expected outcomes for publication and dissemination by the author.

Read more about the publication and release guidelines here: Publishing and Release Guidelines

Review, Evaluation, and Edit:

• Research is reviewed and evaluated before publication.

• Reviewers or editors with a conflict of interest withdraw from involvement in decisions on publication, funding, appointment, promotion or reward.

• Confidentiality is maintained unless there is prior approval for disclosure.

• The rights of authors and applicants are respected by the author and editor, and permission is sought to make use of the ideas, data or interpretations presented.

Violations of Research Integrity

Research misconduct and other unacceptable practices:

I.e. fabrication, falsification or plagiarism in proposal, performance, review or result reporting of research.

• fabrication, i.e. making up of results and their recording as real.

• falsification, i.e. manipulation of research materials, equipment, processes or change, omission, suppression of data or results without justification.

• plagiarism, i.e., using other people's work or ideas without giving proper credit to the original source. This is a violation of the rights of the original author(s) to their intellectual outputs.

Custodian: Steering Council