Scientific freedom is the foundation of scientific research and teaching. May researchers do what they want? Certainly not. Science has its limits, for freedom can only be granted if it is balanced by responsible behaviour. What is my responsibility as a researcher and how do I take this responsibility seriously?
Academic integrity is a key mindset that you have to adopt during the development of a research project, the actual research activity and the publication process. One must comply with certain academic standards, for example:
• make research funding transparent,
• reveal conflicts of interest,
• manage research data in a professional manner, and
• quote sources correctly.
However, research integrity is more than just avoiding plagiarism or manipulation of data. Instead, it is about the grey-zones of good scientific practice. In genuine scientific contexts values can clash, there is no clear “right” or “wrong”, and scientific standards may be put under pressure. Remember to learn to develop your own moral guide in order to be able to negotiate challenging situations with yourself and others.