Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Scientists behaving badly

Nature volume 435, pages 737–738 (2005)Cite this article

To protect the integrity of science, we must look beyond falsification, fabrication and plagiarism, to a wider range of questionable research practices, argue Brian C. Martinson, Melissa S. Anderson and Raymond de Vries.

Serious misbehaviour in research is important for many reasons, not least because it damages the reputation of, and undermines public support for, science. Historically, professionals and the public have focused on headline-grabbing cases of scientific misconduct, but we believe that researchers can no longer afford to ignore a wider range of questionable behaviour that threatens the integrity of science.

Access options

Rent or Buy article

Get time limited or full article access on ReadCube.

from$8.99

Rent or Buy

All prices are NET prices.

References

  1. 1

    OSTP Federal Policy on Research Misconduct http://www.ostp.gov/html/001207_3.html (2005).

  2. 2

    Teitelbaum, S. L. Nature 420, 739–740 (2002).

    ADS  CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. 3

    Korn, D. Nature 420, 739 (2002).

    ADS  CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. 4

    Freeman, R., Weinstein, E., Marincola, E., Rosenbaum, J. & Solomon, F. Science 294, 2293–2294 (2001).

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  5. 5

    Panel on Scientific Responsibility and the Conduct of Research (Natl Acad., Washington DC, 1992).

  6. 6

    Steneck, N. H. ORI Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research (US Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 2004).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  7. 7

    Swazey, J. M., Anderson, M. S. & Louis, K. S. Am. Sci. 81, 542–553 (1993).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. 8

    Ranstam, J. et al. Control Clin. Trials 21, 415–427 (2000).

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. 9

    Geggie, D. J. Med. Ethics 27, 344–346 (2001).

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  10. 10

    Asch, D. A., Jedrziewski, M. K. & Christakis, N. A. J. Clin Epidemiol. 50, 1129–1136 (1997).

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. 11

    Committee on Science Engineering and Public Policy On Being a Scientist: Responsible Conduct in Research (Natl Acad., Washington DC, 1995).

  12. 12

    Panel on Scientific Responsibility and the Conduct of Research (Natl Acad., Washington DC, 1993).

  13. 13

    Institute of Medicine and National Research Council Committee on Assessing Integrity in Research Environments Integrity in Scientific Research: Creating an Environment that Promotes Responsible Conduct (Natl Acad., Washington DC, 2002).

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Research on Research Integrity Program, an ORI/NIH collaboration, with financial support from the National Institute of Nursing Research and an NIH Mentored Research Scientist Award to R.d.V. We thank the three anonymous reviewers, Nick N. Steneck and M. Sheetz for their insightful input and responses to earlier drafts.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. the HealthPartners Research Foundation, PO Box 1524 Mailstop 21111R, 8100 34th Avenue South, Minneapolis, 55440-1524, Minnesota, USA

    Brian C. Martinson

  2. the University of Minnesota, Educational Policy and Administration, 330 Wulling Hall, Minneapolis, 55455, Minnesota, USA

    Melissa S. Anderson

  3. the University of Minnesota, Center for Bioethics, N504 Boynton, Minneapolis, 55455, Minnesota, USA

    Raymond de Vries

Authors
  1. Brian C. Martinson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Melissa S. Anderson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Raymond de Vries
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Martinson, B., Anderson, M. & de Vries, R. Scientists behaving badly. Nature 435, 737–738 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/435737a

Download citation

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing