Image manipulation is the process of altering a digital image using software to adjust the visual appearance (adjusting the color, brightness or contrast, applying filters), cropping, cloning objects, resizing, rotating, etc. Manipulating research images can be problematic and could potentially be research misconduct, if the integrity of the image is not preserved. According to The Office of Research Integrity (ORI), 67% of their closed research misconduct cases between 2011 and 2015 involve image manipulation.

Does this mean adjustments are not permitted? No, there are some simple adjustments, as well as cropping and image comparisons that are generally acceptable. ORI has developed a set of guidelines for best practices in image processing. 

Journal guidelines also exist to determine what manipulations are acceptable. According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) “No specific feature within an image may be enhanced, obscured, moved, removed, or introduced. The grouping or consolidation of images from multiple sources must be made explicit by the arrangement of the figure and in the figure legend. Adjustments of brightness, contrast, or color balance are acceptable if they are applied to the whole image and if they do not obscure, eliminate, or misrepresent any information present in the original, including backgrounds.¹”

A few key concepts to keep in mind when manipulating data include but are not limited to the following:

• Images are data, be sure to maintain the integrity of the image when applying any changes.
• Always keep a copy of the original data/image (unprocessed) for your records before manipulation. There are certain industries and journals that require the preservation and retention of raw image data. Even if it’s not required, it’s good practice to keep the original to back up and support your work.
• When making an adjustment, it should only be done only to reveal or highlight what is already part of the original data.
• Know what image manipulations are and are not acceptable, per the guidelines of the journal you are publishing in.
• Every manipulation should be clearly documented and disclosed to the audience.

If you suspect someone has manipulated an image as part of their research data, you can report or ask questions using the resources on the Reporting Potential Research Misconduct webpage.