Image Use & Citation

The Department of Health and Human Services/ Office of Research Integrity (ORI) is dedicated to responsible conduct in research, mainly dedicated to the biomedical and behavioral sciences.  The information provided on the website can be used in other fields as well.  The links below provide more information on the subject.

Guidelines for Image Integrity in Science: Refers to the Duplication and Manipulation of Images:

• Treat images as data​

• Save the original image​

• Make simple adjustments​ (modify brightness and contrast in moderation, the infographic below shows visuals)

• Minimal cropping is acceptable 

• Intensity Measurements should be based on raw data and converted to a known standard

Manipulation:

• Manipulating can lead to Research Misconduct​

• Image filters can degrade biological images​

• Magnification​

• Compression of files (file type or pixels)

Duplication:

• Cloning is questionable and considered falsification and fabrication​
• Using images without proper permission or citation is considered plagiarism.  Consult scholarly journals for author information on submitting and obtaining permission to use images.