Fraud in academic research

Ian Freckelton AO Kc

Chapter 12 in Research Handbook on Fraud and Society, 2026, pp 216-238 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Fraud in academic research is both troublingly common and can have extremely adverse consequences for the Academy, for medico-scientific disciplines, for research trajectories and for the general community. This chapter identifies definitional issues around what constitutes academic fraud, and reviews major examples of this important form of intellectual dishonesty. It explores the reasons why scholars engage in fraudulent research, including contemporary pressures on academics, and discusses options for reducing its incidence, including high-quality, rigorous investigations of allegations of fraud, initiation of criminal prosecutions, and withdrawal of eligibility for funding entitlements. It discusses a problematic culture of tolerance for misconduct within academia, arguing for consolidation of a more assertive culture of integrity, and reviews the relevance of deterrence to fraud in research by academics. It contends that multi-faceted responses to the phenomenon are necessary to maintain confidence in the quality of academic research.

Keywords: Academic fraud; Scholarly fraud; Research misconduct; Criminalisation; Deterrence; Cultural change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035348800
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