The Hong Kong Principles and their importance to today's scientific ecosystem

Abstract

The scientific enterprise has grown substantially in the past few centuries. Currently, it is no longer produced by a small number of intellectuals, being a global initiative with several agents involved. With the substantial growth of published literature, researchers began to question the reliability of published scientific reports and articles, this phenomenon being linked to the career progression criteria used in most parts of the world, focused on productivity and impact, but failing to assess reliability, reproducibility and scientific transparency. In this scenario, the Hong Kong Principles appears, a document containing five principles with related objectives that aim to guide the academic community towards more responsible and transparent research practices.