Oxford dictionaries define integrity as:

1. The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles
2. The state of being whole and undivided

It also defines research as:

1. The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions

Steneck (2006)  stated in his article “Fostering Integrity in Research: Definitions, Current Knowledge and Future Directions” that there is a difference between research ethics and research integrity. When defining research integrity as “the quality of possessing and steadfastly adhering to high moral principles and professional standards, as outlined by professional organizations, research institutions and, when relevant, the government and public”, Steneck (2006) elaborates on the difficulty of using moral principles and professional standards in the same definition. He states that moral principles raise “questions about what researchers should do” whereas professional standards provide more or less “a clear guidance on what researchers should do”. Therefore, moral principles link to research ethics and professional standards link to research integrity.

Main examples of research misconduct include:

• Fabrication = reporting of non-existing data
• Falsification = selective reporting of data
• Plagiarism = duplicate publication

Other examples include:

• Consent issues
• Conflicts of interest
• Poor record-keeping
• Failure to obtain necessary ethical approval

Furthermore, due to the professional standards of physiotherapy, I think it is easy to relate integrity in research to the clinical setting. For example, at my placement we have frequent tutorial sessions. This covers the necessary theory components that we need to enhance our practical understanding when applying certain concepts to certain patients. It is during this time that we consult different evidence-based books or articles for the necessary information. Not only do we have tutorials, we also see patients on a regular basis and need to keep accurate notes of their progress. This is the perfect opportunity to highlight the importance of integrity in research within the clinical setting:

1. When reading through the chapter or article to summarize for the tutorial, it is important to convey the information that the authors have written without reporting on any information that is non-existing (fabrication)
2. When documenting on a session with the patient, it is important to include everything that occurred from start to finish. Not reporting something or adding something that did not occur will run the risk of misconduct (falsification)
3.  When treating patients, it is important to have integrity in your planning because doing what is “convenient for you” will not always benefit the progress of your patients.

As asked in the integrity and research topics section, “Where does the duty of the clinician lie? To patients, colleagues, students, themselves, or their institutions?” I strongly feel that integrity in research should strongly influence clinicians regardless of where their priorities lie.