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Office of Research Compliance

Research Misconduct

The Office of Research Compliance is responsible for evaluating and investigating all allegations of misconduct related to research at USC.

Definition of Research Misconduct

Research misconduct is defined as fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research results. 

Fabrication is making up data or results and recording or reporting them.
Falsification is manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.
Plagiarism is the appropriation of another person’s ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit.
Research misconduct does NOT include honest error.

The Misconduct in Research and Scholarship policy outlines university procedures for handling allegations of research misconduct and the processes under which research misconduct proceedings are performed.  

 

Reporting Concerns 

You may report an allegation several ways:

  1. Directly to the Research Integrity Officer
  2. Through the University Integrity Line (which will allow you to report anonymously)
  3. To the federal agency which sponsors the project

Allegations will be received and reviewed by the Research Integrity Officer.
Our policy
 explains the process or reviewing allegations.

Office of Research Compliance


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