Fostering a Culture of Scientific Integrity at USAID
Scientific integrity is the adherence to professional practices, ethical behavior, and the principles of honesty and objectivity when conducting, managing, using the results of, and communicating about science and scientific activities. Inclusivity, transparency, and protection from inappropriate influence are hallmarks of scientific integrity and are an indispensable part of the work done at USAID. Scientific integrity is a core responsibility of everyone:
- proposing, conducting, or reviewing science for USAID;
- communicating about USAID’s science and scientific activities;
- managing or supervising USAID-funded scientific activities; or
- using scientific information in decision-making at USAID.
Scientific integrity applies to the full spectrum of scientific endeavors, including basic science, applied science, evaluation science, engineering, technology, economics, social sciences, statistics, and the scientific and technical information derived from these endeavors. Scientific activities involve the application of well-accepted scientific methods and theories in a systematic manner, and include the analysis, synthesis, compilation, or translation of scientific information and data, as well as statistical analyses.
Scientific Integrity at USAID
What is Scientific Integrity?
Scientific integrity is the adherence to professional practices, ethical behavior, and the principles of honesty and objectivity when conducting, managing, using the results of, and communicating about science and scientific activities. Inclusivity, transparency, and protection from inappropriate influence are hallmarks of scientific integrity.
The USAID Policy on Scientific Integrity outlines four principles of SI:
- USAID employees must respect the integrity of the scientific process throughout its entire lifecycle, from the conception and design to the use of the findings and resulting products, including:
- Protecting scientific activities from inappropriate interference;
- Safeguarding the scientific process against misconduct; and
- Ensuring that research follows applicable laws relating to the protection of human subjects.
- USAID employees must ensure free flow of data and information, including:
- Making results of USAID-funded scientific activities accessible to the public without delay or censorship via appropriate channels; and
- Presenting results of USAID-funded scientific activities accurately in USAID internal and external communications.
- Where it is feasible and appropriate, USAID employees must use relevant, recent, and best-available scientific information to support policy and decision-making, including making the full use of negative results and checking outputs of automated systems, like AI, for accuracy.
- Violations of the SI policy are considered on par with violations of government ethics, with comparable consequences.
Why is Scientific Integrity Important?
Scientific integrity promotes knowledge, truth, and avoidance of error. Scientific research is central to the development and iterative improvement of sound policies, decisions, and programs. A strong culture of scientific integrity at USAID will improve international development and humanitarian outcomes and strengthen public trust in USAID’s work.
Scientific integrity involves protecting science from interference and fostering the appropriate and transparent use of science in decision-making. It also promotes using best practices when conducting, managing, communicating about, and using the results of scientific activities. Breaches to the integrity of USAID’s science ultimately undermine informed decision-making, which impacts the Agency and the people it serves. The table below presents types of scientific integrity issues that can arise within the conduct, management, communication, and use of science.
Additionally, scientific integrity principles support moral and social values important to USAID including truth, transparency, and accountability.
