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The Hong Kong Principles for assessing researchers were formulated and endorsed at the 6th World Conference on Research Integrity, June 2019 in Hong Kong. These principles will help research institutions that adopt them to minimise perverse incentives that invite to engage in questionable research practices or worse.


The Hong Kong Principles are chosen with a view to explicitly recognise and reward researchers for behaviour that leads to trustworthy research by avoiding questionable research practices. The principles have been developed with the idea in mind that their implementation could help to assess researchers for career advancement with a focus on behaviours that strengthen research integrity. Five principles were formulated:

  1. assess responsible research practices
  2. value complete reporting
  3. reward the practice of open science
  4. acknowledge a broad range of research activities
  5. recognise essential other tasks like peer review and mentoring

For each principle a rationale for its inclusion is provided and examples of research institutions where these principles are already being adopted are given. 

HKP - Article - The Hong Kong Principles for assessing researchers: Fostering research integrity
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The article on the Hong Kong Principles
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HKP - Supplementary Material - Frequently Asked Questions
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Endorse

Both institutions and individuals can endorse the Hong Kong Principles and are listed as endorsing individual or institution.

You are cordially invited to endorse the Hong Kong principles as institution.
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You are cordially invited to endorse the Hong Kong principles as individual.
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A video by Lex Bouter on the Hong Kong Principles
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A video by Paul Glaziou on the Hong Kong Principles
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Commentaries placing the Hong Kong Principles in context
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Interviews with the first author of the Hong Kong Principles
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Downloads Hong Kong Principles

HKP - Article - What can research institutes do to foster research integrity
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HKP - Article - The Hong Kong Principles for assessing researchers: Fostering research integrity
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HKP - Forms - Best Practices Inventory (DOC)
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HKP - Forms - Endorsement Individual and Organization (DOC)
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HKP - Forms - Thank you note (DOC)
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HKP - Preprint - Chinese
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HKP - Preprint - English
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HKP - Press - Abecbrasil by Leandro Rocha
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HKP - Press - Blog Post by Jaroslaw Pluciennik
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HKP - Press - Nature Index
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HKP - Press - Press Release
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HKP - Press - Pressespiegel German
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HKP - Press - Times Higher Education
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HKP - Supplementary Material - Frequently Asked Questions
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HKP - Supplementary Material - Indicators of Responsible Research Practices (PDF)
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HKP - Supplementary Material - Indicators of Responsible Research Practices (PNG)
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HKP - Supplementary Material - Indicators of Responsible Research Practices (PPTX)
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HKP - Supplementary Material - Indicators of Responsible Research Practices (TIFF)
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HKP - Supplementary Material - Infographic (PDF)
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HKP - Supplementary Material - Infographic (PNG)
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HKP - Supplementary Material - Infographic (PPTX)
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HKP - Supplementary Material - Lex Bouter - Assessing researchers to foster research integrity (PPTX)
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HKP - Supplementary Material - Paul Glasziou - Research Quality and the Hong Kong Principles (PPTX)
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HKP - Translation - Chinese
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HKP - Translation - German
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HKP - Translation - Portuguese
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HKP - Translation - Spanish
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