The Hong Kong Principles for assessing researchers: Fostering research integrity

Area of Science:

• Research Integrity
• Scientific Ethics
• Scholarly Communication

Background:

• Trustworthy research is essential for societal benefit but rarely assessed in researchers.
• Current researcher evaluations seldom consider trustworthiness, rigor, and transparency.
• The 6th World Conference on Research Integrity highlighted the need to reward research integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the Hong Kong Principles (HKPs) for strengthening research integrity.
• To drive research improvement by recognizing and rewarding researchers for integrity-focused behaviors.
• To advocate for the adoption of principles that enhance the trustworthiness of scientific endeavors.

Main Methods:

• Development of five core principles for research integrity.
• Defining responsible research practices, transparent reporting, and open science.
• Advocating for valuing diverse research types and recognizing all contributions.

Main Results:

• The five Hong Kong Principles are presented with rationales for their inclusion.
• Examples of existing adoption of these principles are provided.
• A framework is established to guide the recognition and reward of research integrity.

Conclusions:

• The Hong Kong Principles offer a pathway to enhance research trustworthiness and societal impact.
• Explicit recognition and reward for integrity behaviors are crucial for research improvement.
• Implementing the HKPs can foster a culture of robust, rigorous, and transparent research.