Editorial Independence and Research Integrity Policy

1. Commitment

1.1The institution's research is its own. Its conclusions are reached by its authors on the evidence, and are not reviewed, approved, altered or suppressed by any funder, partner, government office or other outside party.

2. The institution's position and its research

2.1Perrin Research is a progressive libertarian think tank: it starts from liberty as the default and argues for rules where a technology harms people who never chose it. That position frames the questions it asks. It does not decide the answers. Research that finds against the institution's priors is published on the same terms as research that confirms them.

3. Standards

• Claims of fact are sourced, and sources are cited so that a reader can check them
• Data, methods and assumptions are described clearly enough to be reproduced
• Uncertainty and limitations are stated, not buried
• Opinion is labelled as opinion, and analysis as analysis
• Quotations are accurate and in context
• The work of others is credited; plagiarism is never acceptable

4. Review

4.1Substantial reports and policy proposals are reviewed before publication by at least one reader not involved in writing them, for accuracy, sourcing and argument. Reviewers may challenge conclusions; the authors must answer the challenge on the evidence.

5. Funders and partners

5.1Funders may support an area of research. They may not see research before publication except as any member of the public would, suggest conclusions, or veto publication. Partners who contribute data or access may review work only for factual accuracy about their own data and for confidential information, and the institution decides what changes, if any, to make.

6. Authorship and members' views

6.1Every piece of research names its authors. Work published by members represents the views of its authors. Unless a document says it states the institution's position, it should not be read as one.

7. Research misconduct

7.1Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and undisclosed conflicts of interest are research misconduct. Allegations are handled under the Whistleblower Policy, and confirmed misconduct leads to retraction of the work and the end of the author's involvement with the institution.