Knowledge of research misconduct amid North-African post-graduate dental students: A cross sectional study

Abstract

<ns3:p> Background Research misconduct (RM) in the academic community remains poorly understood among post-graduate dental students (PGDSs) in North Africa. Data on the knowledge of RM (KoRM) level in this population is lacking. This brief report assessed KoRM of Tunisian PGDSs’. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Faculty of Dental Medicine of Monastir, involving 147 PGDSs registered in 2022. Students were recruited via email invitations and convenience sampling at a medical congress. A French survey ( <ns3:italic>i.e.</ns3:italic> ; Laval University quiz) with 11 questions on KoRM, offering three-choice answers (yes/no/maybe) was administered. Each correct answer received one point, and a total score below six indicated a low-level of KoRM. Results The mean±standard deviation KoRM score of the 106 students who accepted to participate in the study was 4.4±1.8, indicating a low-level of KoRM. The majority of PGDSs (85.85%) demonstrated a low-level of KoRM. A comparison between subjective and objective assessments of KoRM levels revealed that a significant percentage of PGDSs underestimated their knowledge (62.26% vs. 85.85%, respectively). Conclusion North-African PGDSs have a low-level of KoRM. This emphasizes the need for further efforts to enhance awareness and promote better KoRM in this population. </ns3:p>