Go easy on embellishments, DFG tells scientists

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft is to restrict the number of publications and career points that can be mentioned in funding applications, to prevent misconduct.

The DFG, Germany’s largest public research funder, said that the pressure on applicants to “look successful” had led to several applications and project reports including fake or inferior publications. The CVs of some applicants had also been significantly “talked up” as many researchers, especially those at the start of a career, were anxious to demonstrate impact, the DFG said.

“Our revised rules and the new motto of ‘quality, not quantity’ have been received with much praise and agreement,” the DFG said in an announcement on 28 March. “However, there have been some critics in the ranks of our reviewers. Some have said that our concrete rules on how many publications may be mentioned are too restrictive.”