Professional Codes of Ethics Falling Short in Addressing Research Misconduct
Professional organizations have codes of ethics to promote good behavior and prevent misconduct in research. A survey of 795 organizations found that 23% included terms related to research integrity and ethics in their codes. Different disciplines varied in how often they mentioned these terms, with social sciences having the most and construction trades having the least. Organizations directly involved in research were more likely to mention research integrity and ethics. Most statements in the codes used clear rules for how research should be conducted. The study suggests that professional organizations should work together to address research ethics issues and meet the needs of their communities.