Research Ethics and Misconduct

Research is the key to the methodical discovery or creation of new knowledge. If research of any kind is to be properly conducted, the integrity and intellectual honesty of those involved must be of the highest standard. Faculty and others responsible for supervising research by students or peers have a special obligation to promote and maintain an environment that encourages absolute intellectual honesty and integrity. This environment should promote open communication among researchers; an emphasis on quality rather than quantity of research; appropriate supervision of personnel; maintenance of accurate records related to research data, procedures and results; and equitable assignment of credit and responsibility for research and publications.

Behaviors classifiable as misconduct in research include fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or other practices that seriously deviate from those that are commonly accepted within the scientific community for proposing, conducting, or reporting research. Misconduct does not include honest error or differences in interpretations or judgments of data.

It is the policy of the University of California, Santa Cruz, to treat research fraud and other unethical research practices by its employees as instances of employee misconduct.