Ethics in Scientific Writing

• Authorship
• Fabrication, Falsification, Plagiarism
• Conflict of Interest
• Copyright
• Permission
Conflict of Interest
 Conflicts of Interest
• Conflicts of interest occur when
– you (or your employer or sponsor) have a financial,
commercial, legal, or professional relationship with other
organizations, or with the people working with them, that
could influence your research.
Financial,
Commercial,
Organizations Legal, or
People working with Professional
them Relationship
YOUR
e.g. YOU RESEARCH
Fund agency
Company you consult
Party you are involved

O: Conflict of interest
X: No conflict of interest
Conflict of Interest in Research Society

Example Case 1
• Four Major Rivers Project HAN RIVER
Dam

“A multi-purpose, green-growth Weir

infrastructure initiative to secure quality Ipo Flood

Detention Res.
water resources, decreases droughts and Yeoju

floods, manage rivers, and improve the Gangcheon

environment and Korean quality of life.” GEUM RIVER Youngju

(UN-Water International Conference, 2011) Andong-Imha
Sejong

Research Subject
connection

• Gongju

Baekje
Sangju
Nakdan Weir

– Evaluate the influence of

Gumi NAKDONG RIVER

Chilgok Bohyeonsan
the FMRR to eco-system Gangjeong
SEOMJIN RIVER Dalseong

Research funded by
Goryeong

• Damyang
Hapcheon
Changnyeong

– Contractors Changnyeong
Haman
Seoungchon
– Environmentalist Juksan Hwasun

• Your research results? YEONGSAN RIVER

Source: K-water. 2012

Conflict of Interest in Research Society

Example Case 2
• Nuclear Power Plant
“South Korea is among the world's most
prominent nuclear energy countries, and
exports its technology widely.”
“South Korea is a major importer of
energy…” (World Nuclear Association,
2019)

• Research Subject
– Evaluate the hazard of a
nuclear power plant
planned to be built
• Research funded by
– KEPCO (Korea Electric
Power Corporation)
– NSSC (Nuclear Safety and
Security Commission)
• Your research results?
Conflict of Interest in Research Society

Example Case 3: Tobacco

Full story Summarization
Central to the story was the determination
by the Environmental Protection Agency in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
1993 that “environmental tobacco smoke”
should be classified as a Class A carcinogen. “Not smoking in public places would
Internal industry memoranda concluded
that the possible banning of smoking in
reduce cigarette consumption and profits.”
public places would reduce cigarette
consumption and profits. In response to
this shift in the regulatory environment, the
tobacco industry created a nonprofit Response of tobacco industry:
organization, the Center for Indoor Air
Research, to fund well over 200 published 1. Create nonprofit organization
studies to counter the EPA finding.
Additional steps included (1) formation of a 2. Fund over 200 published studies
consultant program funded by U.S.,
Japanese, and European tobacco companies
3. Counter the EPA finding systematically.
to present favorable findings at scientific 1) Create consultant program to
meetings and to publish findings; (2)
introduction of bias into studies by present favorable findings
misclassification of study subjects to reduce
the apparent impact of secondhand smoke;
2) Introduction of bias studies
and (3) placement of industry in-house 3) Place in-house scientists on
scientists on journal editorial boards.
journal editorial boards

(Source: On Being A Scientist)

 More Examples COI
• Potential COI in relation to your submitted
manuscript could include:
– Consultancies
– Employment
– Advocacy groups
– Grants
– Fees and honoraria
– Patents
– Royalties
– Stock or share ownership
 How to deal with COI?
• Full disclosure is required when you submit your
paper to a journal.
• The journal editor will firstly use this information
to inform his or her editorial decisions.
• They may then publish such disclosures to assist
readers in evaluating the article.
• Or, instead, the editor may decide not to publish
your article on the basis of any declared conflict.
• You can declare the conflict of interest on your
cover letter or on the manuscript submission
form.

(Source: Author Services)

 Examples of
Publication Disclosure Statements for Conflict of Interest

Journals and entities sponsoring meetings, symposia, or conferences have varying

standards for reporting financial relationships relating to your institutional
responsibilities. However, you should always acknowledge those relationships when
publishing or presenting data from your research or relating to the topic of your
publication or presentation. The following are examples of disclosure statements. If
you use one of the examples, you should modify it to fit your specificrelationship.

Example 1

The author(s) of the (publication, presentation or poster) has research support from
(source of research funding) and also (holds stock in; serves on an advisory board

Sample
for; serves on the Board of Directors of; received an honorarium from) (name of
entity). The terms of this arrangement have been reviewed and approved by NAU in
accordance with its policy on objectivity in research.

disclosure
Example 2

The author(s) of the (publication, presentation or poster) consults for (Entiy) on

(subject of consultation). The author(s) also conducts research in areas of interest

statements
similar to the business interests of (Entity). The terms of this arrangement have
been reviewed and approved by NAU in accordance with its policy on objectivity in
research.

Example 3

The author(s) of the (publication, presentation or poster) was a (speaker for,

consultant to, received an honorarium from) (Entity). The terms of this
arrangement have been reviewed and approved by NAU in accordance with its
policy on objectivity in research.

Example 4

The studies reported in this (publication, presentation or poster) were supported by

a grant from (NIH, NSF, etc.). The (principal investigator, author, speaker) (holds
stock in, serves on an advisory board or board of directors for) (Entity). Althoug h a
financial conflict of interest was identified for management based on the overall
scope of the project and its potential benefit to (Entity), the research findings
included in this (publication, presentation or poster) may not necessarily related to
the interests of (Entity). The terms of this arrangement have been reviewed and
approved by NAU in accordance with its policy on objectivity in research.
 Example 5

NAU has equity ownership in (Entity), the sponsor who funded the research
reported in this (publication, presentation or poster). NAU may financially benefit
from this interest, if (Entity) is successful in marketing products related to this
research). The terms of this arrangement have been reviewed and approved by
NAU in accordance with its policy on objectivity in research.

Example 6

The research being reported in this (publication, presentation or poster) was

supported by (name of sponsor funding the research). The author(s) of this
(publication, presentation or poster) (has equity ownership in, serves as an advisor
for, serves on the board of, is a director of) (Entity) which is developing products
related to the research being reported. The terms of this arrangement have been

Sample
reviewed and approved by NAU in accordance with its policy on objectivity in
research.

Example 7

disclosure
The author of this (publication, presentation or poster) receives research funding
from (Entity) which is developing products related to research described in this
(publication, presentation or poster). In addition, the author serves as a consultant

statements
to (Entity) and receives compensation for these services. The terms of this
arrangement have been reviewed and approved by NAU in accordance with its
policy on objectivity in research.

Example 8

The author of this (publication, presentation or poster) receives research support

from (name of research sponsor) with an equipment loan from (Entity). The author
also (has equity interest in, serves as a consultant to, serves on an advisory board, or
board of directors for) (Entity). The terms of this arrangement have been reviewed
and approved by NAU in accordance with its policy on objectivity inresearch.

You should disclose all possible conflicts of

interest related to your research.
Copyright
 Copyright
• Copyright establishes the ownership of
intellectual property.
• It protects original works of authorship.
• Works include print media, the Internet,
CDs, DVDs, video, and so on.
 Copyright
• It applies to the
Journal
expression of ideas publication Idea
but not to the ideas expressing
idea A
A

themselves.
Copyright? Yes Copyright? No

• It also applies to the

creation of figures or
tables that present Data
data but not to the itself

data itself.
Copyright? Yes Copyright? No
 Copyright Transfer Agreement
• Many publishers request CTA to authors.
Transfer
copyright
Author Publisher

– Publisher’s right to reproduce, distribute, and

license the work is clear and unquestionable.
– Publishers can then distribute a work as widely as
possible while protecting the author’s work against
infringement.
What authors can do after CTA?
• Example publisher: ASCE
• The article, paper, or chapter may not be republished
in its entirety anywhere else, including in other
languages.
• The article, paper, or chapter may not constitute more
than 25% of a new publication.
• Material may be included in an online course pack
only if the site is password-protected.
• Up to 100 photocopies may be made.
What authors can do after CTA?
• Published materials: Authors may post a PDF of the
ASCE-published version of their work on their
employer’s password-protected Intranet with a
certain statement. Any other use requires prior
permission of the ASCE.
• Draft manuscripts: Authors may post the final drafts of
their work on open, unrestricted Internet sites or
deposit it in an institutional repository when the draft
contains a URL/link to the bibliographic record of the
published version.
 Open Access Journal
• Example publisher: MDPI
• Copyright is retained by the authors.
• Anyone may download and read the paper for free.
In addition, the article may be reused and quoted
provided that the original published version is cited.
Permission
 Permission
• Example publisher: ASCE
• Authors are required to obtain permission for ASCE to
republish any material that they did not create.
 Needs written Source
Source Description permission? line?
Original The figure/table was created by individual authors or No No
committee members for this manuscript
and has not been published elsewhere
and is not the property of an individual or engineering (or
other) firm
Published An author and date reference indicates that the
material figure/table/text originally appeared in the cited source
and
the cited source is a commercial or non-profit publisher Yes Yes
or the cited source is a U.S. Government document No Yes
or the cited source was published by ASCE* No Yes
or the cited source is property of an engineering firm or Yes Yes
other business entity
Data only When the figure/table is derived from data in another No Yes
published work, then the words “Data from” followed by
an author/date reference indicate the figure/table is
original.
Unpublished A “courtesy” line indicates that the figure/table is the Yes Yes
material property of an engineering or other business entity.
Individual A “courtesy” line indicates that the figure/table is the Yes Yes
person property of the individual who created it (such as a
photographer).
*If a figure or table in an ASCE publication cites a non-ASCE publication as its source, then permission
must be obtained from the original publisher.
 Open Access Journal
• Example publisher: MDPI
• Authors need permission when reproducing published
material from other publishers.
Permission is required for Permission is not required for
• Your own works published by other • Reconstruction of your own table with
Publishers and for which you did not data already published elsewhere.
retain copyright. Need to cite the source of the data.

• Substantial extracts from anyones' • Reasonably short quotes are

works or a series of works. considered fair use and therefore do
not require permission.
• Use of Tables, Graphs, Charts, Schemes
and Artworks if they are unaltered or • Graphs, Charts, Schemes and Artworks
slightly modified. that are completely redrawn by the
authors and significantly changed
• Photographs for which you do not beyond recognition do not require
hold copyright. permission.
Ethics for Authors

1. Be clear on authorship
2. Avoid plagiarism
3. Double check your data
4. Declaring any interests
5. Upholding standards
6. One at a time

(Source: Author Services)

 Resources
• https://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com
• https://ascelibrary.org/doi/pdf/10.1061/9780784479001.ch03
• https://www.mdpi.com/authors/rights