Conducting research and writing academic papers is not possible without adhering to the principles of academic integrity. They are the foundation of scientific activity, as they ensure the validity, objectivity and reliability of its results. However, what exactly are the principles and how not to violate them in the process of writing scientific papers? We will talk more about this today.
Academic integrity: what is it?
Academic integrity – is a set of ethical standards and principles that scholars, teachers, and students should adhere to in the process of research and teaching. Its primary purpose is to ensure that the academic process is fair, objective and transparent. Adherence to the principles of integrity contributes to the credibility of scientific results, the reputation of researchers and the advancement of science in general.
Principles of Academic Integrity
The International Centre for Academic Integrity identifies six core principles of academic integrity that scientists and researchers should follow in their work. These are: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.
1. Integrity
Honesty in academic integrity means adhering to the principle of truthfulness and transparency in relation to information, research and interactions with others. This includes avoiding plagiarism, falsification of data, and manipulation of results. Students and faculty should be honest in both the presentation of their ideas and sources of information.
2. Trust
Trust is the foundation of scholarly activity. In academia, trust between students, faculty, and institutions is important to maintain productive and effective work.
3. Fairness
Fairness means treating all participants in the academic process objectively and impartially. This includes fair evaluation of student work, equal opportunity for all, and non-discrimination. It is important that all participants in the teaching and learning process have the opportunity to demonstrate their achievements without bias.
4. Respect
Respect in the academic environment means recognising the dignity and worth of every individual, regardless of their status or position. It includes respect for a plurality of ideas and perspectives as well as the rights and needs of others. Respect is manifested in a culture of respectful debate, co-operation and recognition of the work of others.
5. Responsibility
Responsibility includes the obligation to be ethical, to complete work on time, to accept the consequences of one's actions and decisions. It also means honestly fulfilling obligations to colleagues, faculty, and the academic community. Responsibility includes paying attention to the quality of work and being honest about the learning process.
6. Courage
Courage in academic virtue has to do with the willingness to accept challenges, to express one's point of view even when it differs from the conventional wisdom, and to stand for the truth even when it may be uncomfortable. It also includes the ability to admit one's mistakes and learn from them, and to fight for fairness and ethics in the academic process despite possible opposition.
What is considered a violation of academic integrity?
A scholar may or may not knowingly violate the principles of academic integrity. Whatever his or her motives, failure to comply with the principles of academic integrity can lead to serious consequences, such as cancellation of academic papers or reputational loss.
The main types of violations include:
- plagiarism: publishing the scientific results obtained by others as the results of one's own research or using fragments of other authors‘ scientific work without attribution; Plagiarism also includes the use of other scientists’ research data, methods and hypotheses without proper attribution of the author and source;
- self-plagiarism: publishing one's own previously published scientific results as new scientific results;
- data falsification: this is the falsification of data or facts and their use in the process of writing a research paper;
- unjustified use of sources: referring to non-existent or unconfirmed sources, as well as using old, irrelevant data without indicating changes or outdated information;
- biased evaluation of work submitted for publication: deliberate overestimation or underestimation of research results by reviewers or editors.
In order not to violate the above-mentioned principles of academic integrity, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to the selection of sources for analysis, as well as the design of their list. Incorrect citation can lead to accusations of plagiarism, which in turn damages not only the reputation of the researcher, but also violates the ethical norms of the scientific community. Strict adherence to citation rules and respect for the intellectual property of other authors is the basis for maintaining a high level of academic integrity.
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