From concept to measurement: operationalizing and normalizing Integrity Risk Indicators by SCImago (IRIS).

Abstract

The Integrity Risk Indicators by SCImago (IRIS) framework, developed by the SCImago Research Group, addresses growing concerns about trust in science by shifting research assessment from traditional output and citation-based measures toward the evaluation of institutional exposure to research integrity risks. Rather than focusing on individual misconduct, IRIS recognizes the central role of institutional incentive systems, governance structures, and operational cultures in shaping research integrity. IRIS provides a constructive, data-informed model for identifying structural vulnerabilities associated with practices such as authorship and affiliation patterns, dissemination and citation dynamics, publication venue credibility, and the sustainability and transparency of publication practices. The indicators are derived from bibliometric and publication data and are intended as signals of potential risk, not as diagnoses or judgments. Applied to Higher Education Institutions included in the SCImago Institutions Rankings, IRIS enables meaningful comparison through z-score normalization, placing heterogeneous indicators on a common, interpretable scale centered on the global mean. The use of standardized scores enhances sensitivity to the magnitude of deviations, allowing IRIS to better function as a risk detection system, rather than a competitive ranking, and to support institutions in strengthening responsible and trustworthy research environments.