The five Hong Kong Principles (HKPs) focus on improving research integrity by rewarding researchers for certain behaviors: responsible research practices; transparent reporting; open science (open research); valuing a diversity of research types; and recognizing all contributions to research and scholarly activity. This interesting subject came to us from PLOS Biology in their article, “The Hong Kong Principles for assessing researchers: Fostering research integrity.”

It is no great revelation that for knowledge to benefit research and society, it must be trustworthy. Trustworthy research is defined as robust, rigorous and transparent at all stages of design, execution and reporting.

The variety of approaches taken to validating research and its outcomes are as numerous as the nature of the research. Assessment of researchers still rarely includes considerations related to trustworthiness, rigor and transparency. The HKP are part of the 6th World Conference on Research Integrity with a specific focus on the need to drive research improvement through ensuring that researchers are explicitly recognized and rewarded for behaviors that strengthen research integrity.

Melody K. Smith

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