ABSTRACT
This chapter examines instances of alleged misconduct to determine whether or not they reveal any such changes. It discusses available data on the prevalence of fraud and misconduct in science, looks at the experiences of universities, federal agencies, and other institutions in handling allegations, and reviews some of the characteristics and demography of recent incidents. The chapter also discusses the consequences of fraud and misconduct for the scientific enterprise and considers potential means of deterring such behavior. Evidence that scientific research protocols and results have been falsified makes front page news. Although the evidence is often more sensational than systematic, the incidence of scientific fraud and deception appears to be increasing. There is a great deal of interest in knowing whether the known cases of scientific fraud are all that exist or whether they suggest that a great deal of scientific misconduct goes undetected. Scientific research in America makes a rational and thorough assessment of research misconduct next to impossible.
