Procedures for investigating allegations

The purpose of this study is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the organizations and policies that define how allegations of research misconduct are addressed in Canada and in other selected countries. The study is to inform a discussion to be led by the Canadian Research Integrity Committee about how best to strengthen Canada’s research integrity system. To this end, the study analyzes both the policies and organizations that define how the Canadian system works and individual research integrity policies at Canadian research organizations that set out how allegations of misconduct are responded to. In addition, the study provides insight into the prevalence of research misconduct in Canada and concludes with a discussion of options for strengthening the country’s research integrity system. The focus of this report is on policies related to research integrity, which emphasize such principles as honesty, carefulness, and fair recognition, and to its converse, research misconduct, which refers to the unacceptable behaviors related to the scientific process, including fabrication of data, falsification of data and plagiarism. Though conceptually related, research integrity and misconduct policies are, in practice, distinct and separate from those addressing research ethics, which are concerned with ensuring that the scientific methodology (i.e. how one carries out the research) is in line with accepted ethical norms and practices. Research ethics policies are outside the scope of this study.