Rules of Good Scientific Practice

Scientific honesty and the observance of the principles of good scientific practice are essential in all scientific work which seeks to expand our knowledge and which is intended to earn respect from the public. The principles of good scientific practice can be violated in many ways – from a lack of care in the application of scientific methods or in documenting data, to serious scientific misconduct through deliberate falsification or deceit. All such violations are irreconcilable with the essence of science itself as a methodical, systematic process of research aimed at gaining knowledge based on verifiable results. Moreover they destroy public trust in the reliability of scientific results and they destroy the trust of scientists among themselves, which is an important requirement for scientific work today where cooperation and division of labor are the norm.