Research Integrity
The values of objectivity, honesty, openness, accountability, fairness, and stewardship underlie the effective functioning of research. These values are realized through the norms that apply to research practices. In practice, this means upholding research integrity with vigilance, professionalism, and collegiality. The duty of researchers to uphold research integrity is multifaceted. The folder below houses a collection of resources to deepen researchers understanding of this topic.
Data Handling
Effective record keeping and data management while undertaking research, and complete sharing of data, models, and code when publicly reporting results, are fundamental to research integrity. The following is a collection of resources to help manage research data effectively, responsibly, and transparently throughout the research process.
Authorship and Communication
Decisions about authorship of research publications are an important aspect of the responsible conduct of research. These resources will help researchers follow general and disciplinary authorship standards when communicating through formal publications, describe the roles and contributions of all authors, and maintain transparency when communicating with researchers from other disciplines, policy makers, and the broader public.
Mentoring and Supervision
Supervisors and other mentors should ensure that trainees receive high quality instruction in, and appropriate socialization into, the responsible conduct of research. This can involve incorporating activities within the lab as well as institutional and other instruction. This collection of resources will help you know your responsibilities as a mentor and supervisor and to be a helpful, effective mentor and supervisor to early-career researchers.
Peer Review
Peer reviewers of grants and journal submissions provide the guiding and corrective machinery that enables the research enterprise to progress. As in other contexts of their work, researchers who serve as reviewers are expected to be honest, objective, and accountable and to preserve confidentiality and protect the ideas of others during the review process. This collection of resources supports researchers who strive to be a fair and effective peer reviewer who provide careful reviews, maintains confidentiality, and recognize and discloses conflicts of interest.
Research Compliance
Because research has a potential for harm, it is regulated by local, state, or federal laws. Human and animal studies are also governed by Institutional Review Board and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee rules, respectively, and regulations imposed by the federal government. Failure to comply with governing rules and regulations can lead to civil—or in some cases criminal—penalties for researchers.
Moreover, compliance failures undermine public confidence in the researcher, the institution, the field, and the broader research enterprise. This collection of resources helps researchers understand and comply with relevant institutional and governmental regulations governing research, including those specific to a given discipline or field.