ABSTRACT
Fraudulent behavior involves "intentional deception, lying, deceitful pretenses, cunning, willing misrepresentation of material fact, and deliberate trickery intended to gain an unfair and dishonest advantage". Individuals are more likely to commit fraud when three conditions or pressures, which the authors call the "fraud triangle", occur together: opportunity, incentive, and rationalization. Monitoring mechanisms are typically weak. Most journals now have a "check the box" mechanism whereby authors must state that their submission is new and not under review elsewhere. Publication pressures can occur at any stage of a faculty member's career, whether searching for the first or a new job, seeking tenure and/or promotion, or merit salary increases. The third corner of the research fraud triangle is rationalization. In order to commit research fraud, the scholar must be able to rationalize the action as consistent with his/her code of ethics. Either the individual sees action as fitting within existing norms or rules, or they can be bent to encompass the activity.
