Guidelines on Governance of Good Conduct in Research

Question

Rahul Shrivastava · Accepted Answer

Guidelines on Governance of Good Conduct in Research

a) Honesty and Transparency

• Researchers must present data, methods, and findings truthfully.
• Fabrication, falsification, and selective reporting must be avoided.
• Limitations and uncertainties must be clearly acknowledged.
• Data should be stored properly and shared when required for verification.

b) Accuracy and Research Rigor

• Use appropriate, validated methodologies.
• Maintain accurate records of procedures, observations, and data analysis.
• Ensure reproducibility by following established standards.
• Perform proper checks, quality control, and error correction.

c) Accountability and Responsibility

• Researchers are responsible for the integrity of their work.
• Follow institutional regulations, ethical committee approvals, and funding agency guidelines.
• Ensure proper handling of resources, materials, and samples.

d) Fairness and Respect

• Give appropriate credit to contributors.
• Avoid misuse of ideas, data, or materials from colleagues.
• Maintain confidentiality of human participants and sensitive data.
• Treat all members of the research group ethically and professionally.

e) Ethical Authorship and Publication Practices

• Only individuals who contributed significantly should be listed as authors.
• Avoid plagiarism, self-plagiarism, duplicate submissions, or data slicing.
• Cite all relevant literature and acknowledge funding sources.
• Correct errors in publications through errata or retractions if needed.

f) Conflict of Interest Management

• Declare all financial, personal, or professional interests that may influence the research.
• Avoid situations where conflicts compromise objectivity.
• Institutions must have mechanisms to manage and review conflicts.

g) Supervision, Mentoring, and Training

• Senior researchers must provide proper guidance and a safe research environment.
• Ensure that junior researchers are trained in research ethics, data handling, and publication norms.
• Avoid exploitation, undue pressure, or unfair authorship claims.

h) Compliance With Laws, Ethics, and Institutional Policies

• Follow guidelines for human and animal ethics.
• Follow biosafety, environmental, and data protection regulations.
• Obtain necessary approvals before beginning any study.
• Ensure ethical handling, storage, and use of biological, chemical, or digital materials.

2. Case Studies/ Examples of Authorship Malpractices

Case Study 1: Gift / Guest Authorship

Situation

A PhD student completes the majority of a research project, including experimental work, analysis, and drafting the manuscript. During manuscript submission, the supervisor adds the names of a senior professor (who did not contribute) and another researcher (who had no involvement) in order to:
• maintain good relations
• increase the paper’s perceived importance

Type of Misconduct

• Gift authorship (author added as a favour)
• Guest authorship (adding a prestigious name to increase acceptance chances)

Why It Is Wrong

• Violates authorship criteria recommended by COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics).
• Misrepresents actual contributions.
• Undermines the efforts of the primary researcher.
• Creates a false scientific record by attributing credit improperly.
• Promotes power imbalance and unfair academic practices.

Case Study 2: Duplicate or Multiple Publication

Situation

A research team submits a manuscript based on their antimicrobial peptide study to Journal A. While it is under review, they submit the same study — with only minor text changes — to Journal B without disclosure. Both journals later detect the duplication.

Type of Misconduct

• Duplicate publication
• Self-plagiarism
• Violation of journal submission policies

Why It Is Wrong

• Misleads the scientific community by presenting the same data as two independent contributions.
• Wastes editorial and peer-review resources.
• Inflates publication metrics unfairly.
• Distorts meta-analyses and systematic reviews.
• May result in retraction and disciplinary action.

Loading...

Guidelines on Governance of Good Conduct in Research

1 Answer

Question Stats

Related Questions