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. 2019 Apr;25(2):327-355.
doi: 10.1007/s11948-019-00094-3. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

Scientific Integrity Principles and Best Practices: Recommendations from a Scientific Integrity Consortium

Alison Kretser  1 , Delia Murphy  2   3 , Stefano Bertuzzi  4 , Todd Abraham  5 , David B Allison  6 , Kathryn J Boor  7 , Johanna Dwyer  8 , Andrea Grantham  9 , Linda J Harris  10   11 , Rachelle Hollander  12 , Chavonda Jacobs-Young  13 , Sarah Rovito  14 , Dorothea Vafiadis  15   16 , Catherine Woteki  17 , Jessica Wyndham  18 , Rickey Yada  19
Affiliations

Scientific Integrity Principles and Best Practices: Recommendations from a Scientific Integrity Consortium

Alison Kretser et al. Sci Eng Ethics. 2019 Apr.

Abstract

A Scientific Integrity Consortium developed a set of recommended principles and best practices that can be used broadly across scientific disciplines as a mechanism for consensus on scientific integrity standards and to better equip scientists to operate in a rapidly changing research environment. The two principles that represent the umbrella under which scientific processes should operate are as follows: (1) Foster a culture of integrity in the scientific process. (2) Evidence-based policy interests may have legitimate roles to play in influencing aspects of the research process, but those roles should not interfere with scientific integrity. The nine best practices for instilling scientific integrity in the implementation of these two overarching principles are (1) Require universal training in robust scientific methods, in the use of appropriate experimental design and statistics, and in responsible research practices for scientists at all levels, with the training content regularly updated and presented by qualified scientists. (2) Strengthen scientific integrity oversight and processes throughout the research continuum with a focus on training in ethics and conduct. (3) Encourage reproducibility of research through transparency. (4) Strive to establish open science as the standard operating procedure throughout the scientific enterprise. (5) Develop and implement educational tools to teach communication skills that uphold scientific integrity. (6) Strive to identify ways to further strengthen the peer review process. (7) Encourage scientific journals to publish unanticipated findings that meet standards of quality and scientific integrity. (8) Seek harmonization and implementation among journals of rapid, consistent, and transparent processes for correction and/or retraction of published papers. (9) Design rigorous and comprehensive evaluation criteria that recognize and reward the highest standards of integrity in scientific research.

Keywords: Culture of integrity; Detrimental research practices; Open science; Quality of research; Research misconduct; Responsible conduct of research (RCR).

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Conflict of interest statement

Alison Kretser, Delia Murphy, Andrea Grantham, Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Sarah Rovito, and Dorothea Vafiadis declare that they have no conflict of interest. Stefano Bertuzzi serves as a Board Member for the Council of Scientific and Engineering Society Executives, on the BioRxiv Scientific Advisory Board, and on the ScienceCounts Board. Todd Abraham serves on the USP Board of Directors and on the Board of Advisors for Agrospehere, Inc., and is the Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Monell Chemical Senses Institute and formerly served on the ILSI Global Board of Trustees. David B. Allison has editorial responsibilities on multiple journals interested in promoting integrity in research; has multiple NIH grants involving promotion of integrity in research; serves on several committees with interests in research integrity and on the ILSI North America Board of Trustees; and is a consultant for IKEA, the Nestle Research Center, the Law Offices of Ronald Marron, and Tomasik, Kotin, and Kasserman. Kathryn Boor serves on the Agriculture Advisory Committee for E&J Gallo Winery, on the Board of Directors for the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, and on the ILSI North America Board of Trustees. Johanna Dwyer is editor of Nutrition Today. She is a member of the scientific advisory board of Conagra Brands and McCormick and Company, and is a consultant to Gerber/Nestle. The author received partial travel funds from the International Alliance of Dietary Supplement Associations to speak at a symposium at the International Congress of Nutrition in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2017. The author holds stock in several food and drug companies. The author has no research grants. Linda J. Harris has received government grant funding from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Western Center for Food Safety), the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the California Department of Public Health. She has received research grant funding from the Almond Board of California, the Pistachio Research Board, the Walnut Board, the Center for Produce Safety, and the Citrus Research Board. She has also received honoraria/travel for speaking from the Almond Board of California and Wonderful Brands and is on the Executive Board of the International Association for Food Protection. Rachelle Hollander serves on the Editorial Board for Science and Engineering Ethics. Catherine Woteki is a Board Member of Open Data Charter (no remuneration), a Committee Member of the National Research Council’s Division of Earth and Life Sciences at the National Academy of Sciences (no remuneration), the President and Board Chair of the Charles Valentine Riley Foundation (no remuneration), and a consultant to the Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition. Jessica Wyndham has received a research grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF Award 1540398: The Social Responsibilities of Scientists and Engineers: A Global Survey). Rickey Yada declares the following: Member, Arrell Food Institute Advisory Board, University of Guelph; Member, Board of Directors, Natural Health Product Research Society of Canada; Member, Editorial Board, Nature Partner Journal, Science of Food; Journal Advisory Board Member, Global Challenges (Wiley and Sons), Food, Agriculture and Nutrition; Member, Board of Directors, Bioenterprise; Honorary Advisory Board Member, International Association for Traditional and Complementary Medicine; Member, Scientific Advisory Board Riddet Centre, New Zealand (honorarium); Scientific Advisory Board Member, Integrated Health Institute, University of Alberta; Vice Chair, Institute Advisory Board, Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes; Editorial Board, Journal of Functional Foods; North American Editor, Trends in Food Science and Technology, Elsevier Science (honorarium); Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Food Biochemistry; and Member, ILSI North America Board of Trustees.

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