LARI, through its Commission for Research Integrity (CRI), investigates cases if and insofar they refer to research integrity violations that are defined as research misconduct and other unacceptable research practices in the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity or similar in kind to the violations described therein. Especially section 3 of the Code of Conduct on “Violations of Research Integrity” is pertinent in that regard.
In addition to allegations of falsification, fabrication, and plagiarism, examples of other types of unacceptable research practices the CRI investigates include (but are not limited to):
- Allowing funders, sponsors, or others to jeopardize independence and impartiality in the research process or unbiased reporting of results.
- Misusing seniority to encourage violations of research integrity or to advance one’s own career.
- Delaying or inappropriately hampering the work of other researchers.
- Misusing statistics, for example, to inappropriately suggest statistical significance.
- Hiding the use of AI or automated tools in the creation of content or drafting of publications.
- Withholding research data or results without justification.
- Chopping up research results with the specific aim of increasing the number of research publications (‘salami publications’).
- Citing selectively or inaccurately.
- Expanding unnecessarily the bibliography of study to please editors, reviewers, or colleagues, or to manipulate bibliographic data.
- Manipulating authorship or denigrating the role of other researchers in publications.
- Re-publishing substantive parts of one’s own earlier publications, including translations, without duly acknowledging or citing the original (‘self-plagiarism’).
- Establishing, supporting, or deliberately using journals, publishers, events, or services that undermine the quality of research (‘predatory’ journals or conferences and paper mills).
- Participating in cartels of reviewers and authors colluding to review each other’s publications.
- Misrepresenting research achievements, data, involvement, or interests.
- Accusing a researcher of misconduct or other violations in a malicious way.
- Ignoring putative violations of research integrity by others or covering up inappropriate responses to misconduct or other violations by institutions.
LARI does not investigate forms of misconduct other than research integrity violations as defined above because these forms of misconduct fall outside the remit of the agency. Types of other misconduct that LARI does not investigate include (but are not limited to) legal disputes related to labor law, inappropriate personal behavior (e.g., workplace intimidation, discrimination, bullying, and sexual harassment), financial fraud, bribery, or corruption. These types of misconduct should be reported to the appropriate regulative bodies and authorities.
If allegations reported to LARI refer to both research misconduct and other forms of misconduct, LARI will only investigate those allegations that refer to research integrity violations.
