Research Misconduct

As defined by the FIU Research Misconduct Policy and Federal Regulations, research misconduct consists of 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.

Please refer to the FIU Research Misconduct Policy for detailed information on the reporting and processing of research misconduct allegations.


FIU’s Ethical Panther Hotline provides an anonymous and confidential way for faculty, staff, and students to report allegations of research misconduct and other ethical concerns. The hotline can be used to report the following types of issues:

  • Research Misconduct
  • Conflict of Interest
  • Data Privacy
  • Environmental and Safety Matters
  • Fraud
  • Human or Animal Research
  • Intellectual Property Infringement, Misappropriation or Disclosure
  • Research Grant Misconduct or Misappropriation of Costs

You may access the FIU Ethical Panther Hotline at https://compliance.fiu.edu/hotline.

FIU is committed to ensuring that sponsored projects are conducted free of fraud, waste and abuse and in accordance with applicable law, the award document and the sponsor’s requirements. More on FIU’s Notice to Employees of Whistleblower Protection can be found here: Notice to Employees of Whistleblower Protection.