Scientific integrity

As an institution recognized for the high level of its research, EPHE-PSL offers training programs derived directly from research in the fields of Life and Earth Sciences, Historical and Philological Sciences, and Religious Studies. It bases all its actions on principles of integrity and ethics, in collaboration with the Integrity Advisor network.

For any request for advice or to report a potential breach of scientific integrity, two Scientific Integrity Advisors, working in pairs, have been appointed within the EPHE-PSL:

Sylvie Demignot for Life and Earth Sciences
Isabelle Saint-Martin for Historical and Philological Sciences and Religious Studies

What is scientific integrity?

In France, scientific integrity is defined in the French Research Code (Article L. 211-2) as the set of rules and values that must govern research activities to ensure their honesty and rigor. Essential to the proper functioning of scientific communities, scientific integrity is also the foundation of a relationship of trust between the research community and other components of society.

Beyond disciplinary specificities, good research practices are based on common principles, as explained in the European Code of Conduct (https://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Code-de-conduite-europeen-pour-lintegrite-en-recherche.pdf)for research integrity:

- Reliability in design, methodology, analysis, and use of resources.
- Respect for colleagues, research participants, society, ecosystems, cultural heritage, and the environment.
- Honesty in the development, conduct, evaluation, and dissemination of research, in a transparent, fair, complete, and objective manner.
- Responsibility for research activities, from the initial idea to publication, their management and organization, for training, supervision, and mentoring, and for the broader implications of the research.

Scientific integrity, research ethics, and professional conduct are three essential components of responsible research conduct.

L’intégrité scientifique renvoie aux bonnes pratiques en matière de production et de diffusion des connaissances scientifiques. Elle garantit le caractère honnête et rigoureux des activités de recherche.
Scientific integrity refers to good practices in the production and dissemination of scientific knowledge. It guarantees the honest and rigorous nature of research activities.
Professional conduct refers to a set of obligations specific to the practice of a profession. In France, when a researcher is a public official, their obligations are set out in the General Civil Service Code. On the one hand, research ethics concerns the major questions raised by certain scientific developments and, on the other hand, more operational issues regarding the compliance of research protocols with current legal rules and ethical guidelines.

To learn more about the various institutional stakeholders in these three areas: https://www.ofis-france.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/IntegriteScientifique-Deonto-Ethique-AfficheOfis2024.pdf

What is a breach of scientific integrity?

Any practice that undermines the reliability of results and the proper functioning of research communities is likely to constitute a breach of scientific integrity. A breach can affect all aspects of research activities in all disciplines, whether public or private.

Some examples of misconduct that may affect:
- Research project planning and implementation: failure to obtain necessary authorizations (ethics approval, participant consent); failure to comply with authorized protocols; misuse of research funds.
- Data management and practices of any kind (including text corpora, archives, images, etc.): falsification or fabrication; deliberately poor management or archiving; retention without legal justification, omission or selection without scientific justification; problematic statistical processing; unacknowledged embellishment.
- Publication, communication, and authorship practices: plagiarism; improper signature or failure to acknowledge a contribution; self-plagiarism; non-compliance with AI usage requirements; abusive or biased citations; lack of impartiality or transparency in public speaking.
- Peer interactions: biased peer review, appropriation of research projects or ideas, lack of supervision, undue impediment to the progress of a peer's work, unfounded accusations of misconduct.

Failure to declare ties or conflicts of interest may also constitute misconduct, as well as a violation of the laws governing

In their most serious forms — particularly in cases of fabrication, falsification of data, and plagiarism (FFP) — such breaches may result in disciplinary sanctions.

For a more comprehensive overview, see: https://www.ofis-france.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/LOfisfaitlepoint_Questceque-Manquement.pdf

EPHE-PSL’s Policy in Support of Scientific Integrity

Awareness-raising initiatives on scientific integrity are offered to Master's students, interns preparing their diploma at EPHE-PSL, PhD candidates, and staff members of the EPHE-PSL.

The Scientific Integrity Officers (RIS – Référents à l’Intégrité Scientifique) are responsible for:
• Promoting a culture of scientific integrity within the institution;
• Promoting a culture of scientific integrity within the institution;
• Receiving and investigating reports of breaches of scientific integrity.

They serve as the first point of contact for anyone involved in research who has questions about scientific integrity or who believes they have witnessed a breach that warrants action. The handling of such reports follows the principles and recommendations outlined in the RESINT (Scientific Integrity Network) Procedure Manual, published by the OFIS (French Office for Scientific Integrity): https://www.ofis-france.fr/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Manuel-de-procedure_labelResint_2023-05-30.pdf

EPHE-PSL’s RIS are members of the PSL Scientific Integrity Committee, coordinated by the PSL Scientific Integrity Officer: https://psl.eu/recherche/la-recherche-psl/integrite-scientifique

Reference Texts on Scientific Integrity

Given the frequent developments in this field at both national and international levels, it is recommended to consult the OFIS website, which is regularly updated: https://www.ofis-france.fr/les-textes-de-reference/