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. 2024 Oct 14;9(1):12.
doi: 10.1186/s41073-024-00151-x.

Investigating the links between questionable research practices, scientific norms and organisational culture

Robin Brooker  1 , Nick Allum  2
Affiliations

Investigating the links between questionable research practices, scientific norms and organisational culture

Robin Brooker et al. Res Integr Peer Rev. .

Abstract

Background: This study investigates the determinants of engagement in questionable research practices (QRPs), focusing on both individual-level factors (such as scholarly field, commitment to scientific norms, gender, contract type, and career stage) and institution-level factors (including industry type, researchers' perceptions of their research culture, and awareness of institutional policies on research integrity).

Methods: Using a multi-level modelling approach, we analyse data from an international survey of researchers working across disciplinary fields to estimate the effect of these factors on QRP engagement.

Results: Our findings indicate that contract type, career stage, academic field, adherence to scientific norms and gender significantly predict QRP engagement. At the institution level, factors such as being outside of a collegial culture and experiencing harmful publication pressure, and the presence of safeguards against integrity breaches have small associations. Only a minimal amount of variance in QRP engagement is attributable to differences between institutions and countries.

Conclusions: We discuss the implications of these findings for developing effective interventions to reduce QRPs, highlighting the importance of addressing both individual and institutional factors in efforts to foster research integrity.

Keywords: Questionable Research Practices; Research Integrity; Scientific Norms.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Weighted distribution of standardised mean QRP engagement for 39,699 respondents
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Weighted distribution of our standardised mean commitment to normative ideals of science for 39,699 respondents
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Commitment to normative ideals of science: weighted percentages
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Predicted marginals plot showing effects of working environment and scientific norms on questionable research practices
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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