Discussion paper on terminology changes to destigmatise the investigation of research misconduct

UKRIO is pleased to share a new discussion paper on the terminology currently used in research misconduct investigations in the UK, exploring potential changes to increase confidence in research misconduct investigations, clarify roles and responsibilities, and normalise the reporting of concerns.

This paper puts forward a series of suggested terminology changes for consideration and discussion by the research community, noting that while these changes alone will not prevent research misconduct, they are an important intervention to emphasise what the role of research misconduct investigations should be: to safeguard the integrity of the research record.

It has been developed as part of UKRIO’s 2024/2025 priority workstream on research misconduct and is guided by UKRIO’s previous report, Barriers to investigating and reporting research misconduct, which identifies that language can play an important role in facilitating good practices for addressing research misconduct.

Read paper here

Resources

If you are looking for further resources on research misconduct please look here. 

Confidential advice

We welcome enquiries on any issues relating to the conduct of research, whether promoting good research practice, seeking help with a particular research project or advice on investigating cases of alleged fraud and misconduct. Get confidential and impartial advice from UKRIO here. 

This page was last updated on 28/11/2024