Scientific fraud: definitions, policies, and implications for nursing research

Scientific research typically has been founded on high ethical standards established by researchers in academia and health care research institutions. Scientific fraud, an act of deception or misrepresentation of one's own work, violates these ethical standards. It can take the form of plagiarism, falsification of data, and irresponsible authorship. Scientific fraud has been attributed to misdirected attempts to attain high levels of personal and professional success. Researchers so prone commit scientific fraud in a search for promotion, status, tenure, and the obtaining of research grants. To divert scientific fraud, three recommendations are suggested: (1) socialize prospective nurse researchers into an atmosphere where intellectual and professional integrity prevail; (2) have established nurse researchers serve as role models and mentors who can educate the neophyte researcher about the ethics of research, including scientific fraud; and (3) emphasize and reward quality in research and publications, rather than quantity.