Issues around research ethics and the reproducibility of research are impacting the credibility of science. Firstly, we look at what is to be understand by research ethics, misconduct, and reproducibility. Next, we examine some examples of fraud, beautification, and failed reproducibility. Next, we address the causes and possible resolutions, culminating in the question whether the scholarly literature is still self-correcting. © 2017 - IOS Press and the authors.