Office of Research Compliance

Research Misconduct

The University of Maine is committed to fostering an environment in which the highest ethical standards in the conduct of Research and other scholarly activities are maintained. All members of the University community engaged in research, including faculty, staff, and students, are expected to adhere to the highest standards of research integrity to protect the accuracy and reliability of the research record and published results.

What is Research Misconduct?

Research Misconduct means fabrication, falsification, plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research results. A finding of Research Misconduct requires that:

1. there be a significant departure from accepted practices of the relevant research community; and
2. the misconduct be committed intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly; and
3. the allegation be proved by a preponderance of the evidence.

Research Misconduct does not include honest error or differences of opinion.

Key definitions of the components of Research Misconduct:

• Fabrication: Making up data or results and recording or reporting them. Fabrication excludes synthetic data or test data used for testing or validation.
• Falsification: Manipulating Research materials, equipment or processes, or changing or omitting Research data or results, such that Research is not accurately represented in the Research Record.
• Plagiarism: The appropriation of the ideas, processes, results or words of another person, without giving appropriate credit. (Under University of Maine Policy and Procedures for Responding to Allegations of Research Misconduct [Word], the definition of Plagiarism excludes self-plagiarism; however, the University may prohibit self-plagiarism in other policies, procedures, rules, or handbooks. For the definition of self-plagiarism, refer to the University of Maine Faculty Handbook).

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