Publication integrity: what is it, why does it matter, how it is safeguarded and how could we do better?

Mark J. Bolland; Alison Avenell; Andrew Grey

doi:10.1080/03036758.2024.2325004

Publication integrity: what is it, why does it matter, how it is safeguarded and how could we do better?

Mark J. Bolland^*
, Alison Avenell
, Andrew Grey

^*Corresponding author for this work

University of Auckland

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Trustworthy literature is an essential part of knowledge, evidence-based information, and science. However, publications can contain mistakes or have results from unreliable research, which may compromise their integrity. In this review, we discuss publication integrity, with a focus on our field of biomedicine, and how it could be improved. In our experience, compromised publication integrity is frequently poorly handled, and we, and others, have reported that responses to publication integrity concerns can be inefficient, inconsistent, slow, opaque, and incomplete. Checklists and tools are now available to assist in the assessment of publication integrity, but systemic changes are needed. However, this requires many of the key parties involved (journals, publishers, institutions, academic societies, and regulators) to acknowledge and engage with the problem. There is little evidence of a willingness to do this. We conclude that it has been recognised for many years that the system for dealing with publication integrity is broken, but currently, there appears little interest in trying to improve it.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	267-286
Number of pages	20
Journal	Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand
Volume	55
Issue number	2
Early online date	13 Mar 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/03036758.2024.2325004
Publication status	Published - 2025

Bibliographical note

All authors have had extensive involvement and discussions about the topic for more than a decade. MB did the literature review and drafted the article. AA and AG critically reviewed and improved it. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Funding

This research received no specific funding and the majority of the work (much of it in our spare time) was carried whilst in our academic roles that are funded indirectly by the taxpayer either through competitive research grants (MB) or via a permanent university appointment (AA, AG). MB is a recipient of an HRC Clinical Practitioners Fellowship. The Health Services Research Unit is funded by the Chief Scientist Ofﬁce of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates. The authors are independent of the HRC. The HRC had no role in design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Funders
Chief Scientist Office

Keywords

errors
expression of concern
fabrication
fraud
Publication integrity
questionable research practices
research integrity
retraction

Access to Document

10.1080/03036758.2024.2325004Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Bolland_etal_JRSNZ_Publication_Integrity_VOR
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
Final published version, 3.01 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "Publication integrity: what is it, why does it matter, how it is safeguarded and how could we do better?",

abstract = "Trustworthy literature is an essential part of knowledge, evidence-based information, and science. However, publications can contain mistakes or have results from unreliable research, which may compromise their integrity. In this review, we discuss publication integrity, with a focus on our field of biomedicine, and how it could be improved. In our experience, compromised publication integrity is frequently poorly handled, and we, and others, have reported that responses to publication integrity concerns can be inefficient, inconsistent, slow, opaque, and incomplete. Checklists and tools are now available to assist in the assessment of publication integrity, but systemic changes are needed. However, this requires many of the key parties involved (journals, publishers, institutions, academic societies, and regulators) to acknowledge and engage with the problem. There is little evidence of a willingness to do this. We conclude that it has been recognised for many years that the system for dealing with publication integrity is broken, but currently, there appears little interest in trying to improve it.",

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AU - Grey, Andrew

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AB - Trustworthy literature is an essential part of knowledge, evidence-based information, and science. However, publications can contain mistakes or have results from unreliable research, which may compromise their integrity. In this review, we discuss publication integrity, with a focus on our field of biomedicine, and how it could be improved. In our experience, compromised publication integrity is frequently poorly handled, and we, and others, have reported that responses to publication integrity concerns can be inefficient, inconsistent, slow, opaque, and incomplete. Checklists and tools are now available to assist in the assessment of publication integrity, but systemic changes are needed. However, this requires many of the key parties involved (journals, publishers, institutions, academic societies, and regulators) to acknowledge and engage with the problem. There is little evidence of a willingness to do this. We conclude that it has been recognised for many years that the system for dealing with publication integrity is broken, but currently, there appears little interest in trying to improve it.

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KW - expression of concern

KW - fabrication

KW - fraud

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KW - questionable research practices

KW - research integrity

KW - retraction

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M3 - Review article

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SP - 267

EP - 286

JO - Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand

JF - Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand

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ER -

Publication integrity: what is it, why does it matter, how it is safeguarded and how could we do better?

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

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Cite this