#research integrity

Lately, one of the big high-up executive offices has been seeking feedback from our researchers, asking how they use AI in their research, and how would they like to use AI if they could. The survey questions are so vague and leading that I suspect it is intended to count every participant as an AI adopter, and inflate the sense of uptake, to make it sound like there is broad acceptance. Microsoft has its claws deep in institutions that are now entirely reliant on massive Office, 365, Sharepoint and Teams licenses for tens of thousands of staff and students.

But apparently they can't even scrape together enough data for a measly "Some researchers said they would consider using AI in their projects". The high-up office has now sent four increasingly urgent requests to get all researchers to complete the survey. With admonitions that we must position ourselves as early adopters and leaders in this area.

And our researchers aren't buying it. I love them for that.

We're starting to see the first few AI user workshops trickling in. There may indeed be some useful information to be had, but they're being pushed with this cajoling tone of "You don't want to be left behind, do you? You don't want to seem like you're not a team player, do you?" And they are also having difficulty getting anyone to turn up.

By: Richard Pollina

Published: May 27, 2025

A renowned Harvard University professor was stripped of her tenure and fired after an investigation found she fabricated data on multiple studies focused on dishonesty. 

Francesca Gino, a celebrated behavioral scientist at Harvard Business School, was let go after the school’s top governing board determined she tweaked observations in four studies so that their findings boosted her hypotheses, GBH News reported.

Harvard administrators notified business faculty that Gino was out of a job in a closed-door meeting this past week, the outlet reported.

[ Francesca Gino, a celebrated behavioral scientist at Harvard Business School whose work has focused on dishonesty, was fired by Harvard last week. ]

Harvard did not detail the professor’s firing or tenure being stripped — citing it as a personnel matter — but told GBH News that the school had not revoked a professor’s tenure in decades.

No professors have had their tenure revoked at Harvard since the 1940s, when the American Association of University Professors formalized termination rules, according to The Harvard Crimson.

The Post has reached out to Harvard for comment.

The star Ivy League professor — who had authored over 140 scholarly papers and snagged numerous awards — had come under scrutiny in 2023 when a trio of behavioral scientists published a series of blog posts on Data Colada with evidence accusing four of her papers published between 2012 and 2020 she had co-authored contained “fraudulent data.”

A preliminary investigation into Gino’s work by Harvard was launched in October 2021, following concerns about a study she co-authored that claimed requiring individuals to sign an honesty pledge at the beginning of a form, rather than at the end, significantly boosts honest responses.

This study was definitively retracted in 2021 due to “evidence” of data fabrication, which relied on three separate lab experiments to support its findings.

The same three behavioral scientists identified evidence that three other studies in the same paper appeared to rely on manipulated data.

A full probe into the allegations was conducted in 2022 and 2023, where Gino and people who worked with her on the papers were interviewed, with faculty of the Harvard Business School also reviewing and analyzing her data, emails, and papers’ manuscripts.

An outside forensics firm was also hired to analyze her studies’ data.

When asked about the issues with her work, Gino asserted that issues with her work may stem from errors by her or her research assistants or potential tampering by someone with “malicious intentions,” according to the university report.

However, investigators rejected both theories and provided findings to HBS Dean Datar in March 2023.

The Ivy League school placed Gino on unpaid leave and began termination proceedings.

Investigators also suggested that the university audit Gino’s work and request retractions for three of the papers; a fourth paper had already been retracted by the time of their inquiry.

As the investigation was underway in 2023, Gino denied the allegations against her on her website.

“There is one thing I know for sure: I did not commit academic fraud. I did not manipulate data to produce a particular result,” she wrote.

“I did not falsify data to bolster any result. I did not commit the offense I am accused of. Period.”

Gino — whose behavioral research studies relating to cheating, lying, and dishonesty received widespread media coverage over the past decade — filed a $25 million lawsuit against Harvard, Harvard Business School Dean Srikant Datar, and the Data Colada bloggers.

In court filings, Gino claimed reputational damage along with loss of income and career opportunities due to the school’s investigation and decision to place her on administrative leave beginning June 2023, in addition to the Data Colada blogs.

“Harvard shared their case. And while my lawyers have discouraged me from speaking out, I just need to say that I did not — ever — engage in academic fraud,” Gino posted on her website in March 2024.

“Once I have the opportunity to prove this in the court of law, with the support of experts I was denied through Harvard’s investigation process, you’ll see why their case is so weak and that these are bogus allegations.”

However, a federal judge in Boston dismissed Gino’s defamation claims against both Harvard and the Data Colada bloggers last September, The Harvard Crimson reported.

The judge ruled that the professor was a public figure, allowing her work to be scrutinized under the First Amendment.

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Research is not just about collecting data and publishing papers. It is about creating knowledge that others can trust. However, many PhD scholars and researchers face challenges such as publication pressure, tight deadlines, and the growing use of digital resources. In these circumstances, maintaining research integrity becomes more important than ever. A single act of plagiarism, data manipulation, or improper citation can affect both a researcher's reputation and the credibility of the research itself. In 2026, when research collaboration and AI-assisted tools are becoming more common, academic integrity remains the foundation of ethical and reliable research.

Why Academic Integrity Is Important in Research

Research ethics ensures that research is conducted honestly, responsibly, and transparently. It helps scholars produce original work while respecting the contributions of other researchers. Institutions, journals, and funding organizations increasingly emphasize ethical research practices because they directly influence the quality and trustworthiness of academic outcomes.

Key Benefits of Ethical Research Practices

Builds trust within the academic and research community.

Enhances the credibility of research findings.

Protects researchers from plagiarism and misconduct allegations.

Encourages originality and critical thinking.

Supports ethical publication and academic success.

Core Principles of Ethical Scholarship

Every researcher should understand the principles that guide ethical research. These principles help maintain the quality and authenticity of academic work.

Honesty

Researchers must present information truthfully and avoid fabricating or manipulating data. Honest reporting allows others to rely on research findings with confidence.

Fair Acknowledgment

Ideas, theories, and findings borrowed from previous studies should always be cited correctly. Proper acknowledgment respects intellectual property and avoids plagiarism.

Responsibility

Researchers are responsible for maintaining accurate records, following ethical guidelines, and ensuring that their work meets academic standards.

Transparency

Methods, data collection procedures, and research limitations should be clearly explained so that others can evaluate the study effectively.

Best Practices to Maintain Academic Integrity

Maintaining academic integrity requires consistent effort throughout the research process. Simple research practices followed consistently can have a lasting impact on academic integrity.

Practical Steps Researchers Should Follow

Use reliable citation and referencing methods.

Keep detailed records of research activities and data.

Verify information from credible academic sources.

Review manuscripts carefully before submission.

Use plagiarism detection tools responsibly.

Seek ethical approval when conducting human or participant-based research.

Maintain confidentiality and protect participant information.

Ethical Guidelines for Researchers in 2026

As technology continues to influence research practices, ethical awareness is becoming more important. Researchers should use AI tools responsibly, avoid misrepresenting AI-generated content as original research, disclose conflicts of interest, and follow institutional ethical policies. Ethical research is not only about following rules—it is about preserving the integrity of knowledge itself.

Common Ethical Mistakes to Avoid

Copying content without proper citation.

Manipulating or falsifying research data.

Submitting the same work to multiple journals.

Ignoring participant consent requirements.

Misusing AI-generated content in academic writing.

Conclusion

Peer review is a cornerstone of scientific publishing, designed to ensure the quality and validity of research before it’s disseminated to the wider world. However, recent debates surrounding the efficacy and fairness of this process have largely focused on its inherent biases and potential for corruption. While concerns about conflicts of interest and subjective judgments are valid and demand…

17 de agosto, 2020. Ciencia actual, falta de reproducibilidad y fraude.

“La crisis”

Hasta hace 3 años yo vivía haciendo experimentos en el campo de la inmunología. Mi vida como investigador biomédico duró aproximadamente 22 años, esto quiere decir que conozco muy bien el trabajo en un laboratorio de nivel de bioseguridad 1 y 2, adicionalmente trabajé en bioseguridad nivel 3 cerca de 10 años. Mycobacterium tuberculosis y el VIHsiendo mis compañeros cada día.…

Responsible Conduct of Research programs for all countries.

In the United States (U.S.), there are more than 50,000 postdoctoral fellows, and half are foreigners. Thus, these fellows are not eligible for financing and training grants, and they do not obtain adequate instruction in this area. The National Academy of Science has recognized that attitudes and behaviors which are culturally based might contribute to scientific misconduct. To prevent incidents…

Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching ... your research. #HealthXPH tweet chat 20 July 9 pm Manila time. See you!

Research integrity includes:

the use of honest and verifiable methods in proposing, performing and evaluating research; reporting research results with particular attention to adherence to rules, regulations, guidelines, and following commonly accepted professional codes or norms.

http://grants.nih.gov/policy/research_integrity/what-is.htm

The University of the Philippines Manila is setting up…

Do we need evidence-based evidence? How effective is our medical research system? What are we getting for the $30 billion that goes into university and hospital labs? Here are a couple of stories from local writers with some discouraging answers to those questions.

Carolyn Johnson’s piece on poor quality of medical research was tucked under the Globe’s Sunday editorial urging Elizabeth Warren to…