Prevention is better than retraction: Why education is key to research integrity

Detecting misconduct is critical, but preventing it is even more powerful.

In a landscape shaped by rapid change, rising publication pressures and increasingly complex misconduct, publishers and institutions are rethinking how to safeguard the integrity of science. While detection tools and investigative systems continue to advance, Elsevier’s experts believe the most lasting protection lies in education, awareness and shared responsibility.

“Even if we identify and resolve ethical issues before or after publication, the negative impact has already occurred,” said Shanshan Qu, a Publishing Ethics Expert based in Beijing. “Educating researchers is one of the crucial parts of my work.”

Qu leads workshops and training sessions for authors, editors and reviewers to help them recognize and avoid potential ethical pitfalls. The goal: to prevent problems before they reach publication.

Sarah Jenkins, Director of Research Integrity & Publishing Ethics, agrees that prevention starts long before submission. “There is an urgent need for vigilance in the publishing process to prevent the publication of fraudulent papers from entering the scientific literature at all,” she said.

That proactive mindset underpins Elsevier’s investment in new screening tools and outreach programs designed to help editors and authors make informed ethical decisions. Jenkins’s team also collaborates with the wider publishing community through initiatives like the STM Integrity Hub, which detects duplicate submissions across publishers.

Elavenhil ‘Ela’ Pallipatti Mohan believes awareness must extend beyond systems and policies. “Integrity and publishing ethics go beyond rule books,” he said. “It’s a shared responsibility. We all need to work together to ensure science remains one of the most trustworthy systems in society.”

Education, in this sense, is cultural as much as technical. It's about about shaping habits, mentoring early-career researchers and normalizing open conversations about ethics.

“Familiarize yourself with ethical standards,” Mohan advises. “Get all necessary approvals, conduct your research with respect and fairness, and remember that integrity is something we hand over to the next generation.”