Plagiarism’s Poison: Avoiding Scientific Misconduct

The scientific body of literature is an integral part of oncology advanced practice that provides advanced practitioners (APs) with evidence for clinical decision-making and directly impacts patient quality of care and outcomes. Advanced practitioners not only utilize information from the literature but continue to make significant contributions to the existing body of knowledge. In both cases, it is crucial to reflect on the impact published information has on the scientific community at large and the end user of the information: the reader. Malice in publication, whether intentional or unintentional, fractures the scientific community by creating a sense of mistrust and may negatively impact patients’ views of trusted providers. One such malice is plagiarism. Plagiarism is a form of ethical and scientific misconduct. It violates a code of honor between the author and the editor and the author and the reader. The consequences of plagiarism vary among editors and publications but can include article retraction, a publication ban on the offender, a report of the offense to an employer or a professional body, loss of research funding, loss of professional integrity, and possible loss of employment (Das & Panjabi, 2011). Advanced practitioners in oncology must become proficient in ethical writing and avoiding plagiaristic practices. A number of tips and software tools are available to help authors avoid plagiaristic practices.