In cases of breach of Good Scientific Practice, but not scientific misconduct, there may be questionable research practice. Pursuant to § 3, subsection 1, no. 5 of Act No. 383 of 26 April 2017, questionable research practice is defined as follows:

"... breach of generally recognized standards for responsible research practice, including the standards in The Danish Code for Integrity in Research and other applicable institutional, national and international practices and guidelines for integrity in research."

The Rector has set up the cross-disciplinary Practice Committee for Aalborg University,  referred to as the AAU Practice Committee, which deals with cases of questionable research practice and is responsible for the initial processing of cases of justified suspicion of scientific misconduct (fabrication, falsification or plagiarism). Similarly, the AAU Practice Committee will ensure a coordinated dialogue with the Danish Committee on Research Misconduct.

The AAU Practice Committee is primarily responsible for dealing with suspicions of questionable research practice. Cases of questionable research practice are defined as cases in which a scientific product has been produced as part of research at Aalborg University, but is not covered by the area of responsibility of the Danish Committee on Research Misconduct.

The AAU Practice Committee also forwards cases of suspected fabrication, falsification or plagiarism that fall within the remit of the Danish Committee on Research Misconduct to the Danish Committee on Research Misconduct.

Scientific misconduct occurs when a researcher acts contrary to good scientific practice. Clause 3(1) of Act No 383 of 26 April 2017 on scientific misconduct etc. defines scientific misconduct as follows:

1) Scientific misconduct occurs when fabrication, falsification or plagiarism is committed intentionally or with gross negligence in the planning, execution or reporting of research.

2) Fabrication: Construction of data or substitution with fictitious data.

3) Falsification: Manipulation of research materials, equipment or processes, alteration or omission of data or results, thereby rendering research misleading.

4) Plagiarism: Appropriation of ideas, processes, results, text or specific concepts without rightful credit".

Scientific misconduct includes fabrication, falsification and plagiarism that has had a real impact on the planning, execution or reporting of the research as defined in Article 3(2).

The Danish Committee on Research Misconduct processes cases of scientific misconduct in scientific publications. Cases are usually raised by a complaint being filed with the research institution where the research was carried out. If the research institution brings the case itself, the complaint is submitted to the Danish Committee on Research Misconduct.

The committee publishes an annual report on questionable research practice in Denmark. The report must be based on the annual reporting by the research institutions regarding cases of questionable research practices at the department concerned.

The committee also works to strengthen the credibility of Danish research, prevent scientific misconduct and support research integrity efforts, as expressed in the Danish Code of Integrity in Research.

All Danish cases of scientific misconduct must be processed by the Danish Committee on Research Misconduct. The committee is thus competent to process cases where the research has been carried out with full or partial public funding or by a Danish public research institution.

Guidelines for promoting responsible research practices at The Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH).

Read the guidelines here

Guidelines for Named Person  scheme at The Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. 

Read the guidelines here.

Breaches of good scientific practice are addressed under the general AAU rules on cheating in exams

Read the guidelines here.

• Vancouver-rules (ICMJE) (last updated 2019)
• The European Code of Research Integrity (2011, last revised 2017)
• Montreal Declaration(2013)
• Singapore Declaration (2010)
• Budapest Declaration (1999)