Strengthening Research Integrity to Safeguard Progress.
August, 2025
Christine Dunn | Senior Director of Research & Analytics | Clarivate
Trust in research has never been more critical. As artificial intelligence accelerates discovery, information flows multiply, and global uncertainty grows, the pressure across the research ecosystem intensifies. Funders, including research institutions and governments, are navigating how to uphold research integrity in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Meeting this challenge requires collaboration across the ecosystem, and shared responsibility and coordinated action are key to building resilient, trustworthy systems.
Why integrity matters
Research integrity is the foundation of credible science. It ensures that findings are reliable, reproducible, and ethically produced. When research misconduct—such as fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism—occurs, it can distort findings and undermine public confidence. Misuse of public funds, conflicts of interest, and lack of transparency further threaten the ethical foundations of research.
But integrity is not just about avoiding harm—it’s about enabling progress. When research is conducted responsibly, it strengthens policy, innovation, and public trust in science and government.
Understanding systemic pressures
Prestige and recognition are powerful motivators in research, often driving innovation and excellence. However, when evaluation systems overemphasize volume, speed, or novelty, they can unintentionally create 'perverse incentives' that can undermine ethical behavior.
These dynamics are not solely the result of individual misconduct—they reflect broader cultural and structural influences within the research ecosystem. While practices such as open science and transparency are increasingly embraced, there is still room to strengthen how these values are embedded across workflows, incentives, and evaluation frameworks.
By fostering dialogue across disciplines and sectors, the research community can continue to evolve its practices in ways that support both integrity and impact—ensuring that excellence is measured not just by output, but by trustworthiness and societal relevance.
Collective responsibility for safeguarding research integrity
Upholding research integrity is a shared responsibility. Journal editors, publishers, funders, research institutions, and data providers all play vital roles. Initiatives like United2Act, which brings together international stakeholders to collaboratively address the shared challenge of paper mills in scholarly publishing, illustrate the power of collective action in strengthening research integrity through aligned standards and coordinated responses. Proactive vigilance—through clear policies, robust practices, and open dialogue—is far more effective than reactive correction.
As publishing models evolve, so do the tactics used to exploit them, and the fraudulent practices we’re seeing are increasingly sophisticated, both on individual and organised levels. The community must stay ahead by investing in tools and frameworks that promote transparency and accountability.
Trust markers—such as retraction notices, links to underlying data, and full funding disclosures—help researchers and readers evaluate and replicate findings. These safeguards reinforce a culture of openness and reliability, and they are increasingly embedded in resources such as the Web of Science Core Collection to support our community.
Navigating the AI frontier responsibly
Artificial intelligence is reshaping research workflows, offering new ways to discover literature, analyze data, and generate insights. These tools hold enormous promise—but only if used responsibly.
Ethical AI design must prioritize transparency, explainability, and grounding in trusted sources. As AI becomes integral to research, information literacy and critical thinking must be cultivated across the academic spectrum—from students to senior researchers and institutional leaders.
Looking to the future
Research integrity is not just a technical issue—it’s a cultural and systemic challenge. The future of impactful, trustworthy research depends on an ecosystem that values transparency, accountability, and ethical innovation. Librarians, researchers, publishers, and data providers must work together to co-create practices that uphold these values. By rethinking metrics, embracing responsible AI, and fostering collaboration, we can build systems that support both excellence and integrity.
Progress depends on trust—and trust is built through shared commitment. By working together, we can ensure that research continues to serve society with credibility, purpose, and impact.
