scholarly journals Open science and codes of conduct on research integrity

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Laine

The purpose of this article is to examine the conceptual alignment between the ethical principles of research integrity and open science. Research integrity is represented in this study by four general codes of conduct on responsible conduct of research (RCR), three of them international in scope, and one national. A representative list of ethical principles associated with open science is compiled in order to create categories for assessing the content of the codes. According to the analysis, the current understanding of RCR is too focused on traditional publications and the so called FFP definition of research misconduct to fully support open science. The main gaps include recognising citizen science and societal outreach and supporting open collaboration both among the research community and beyond its traditional borders. Updates for both the content of CoCs as well as the processes of creating such guidelines are suggested.

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Evans ◽  
Marc van Hoof ◽  
Laura Hartman ◽  
Ana Marusic ◽  
Bert Gordijn ◽  
...  

Background: The areas of Research Ethics and Research Integrity (RE+RI) are rapidly evolving. In the EU and internationally, new legislation, codes of conduct and good practices are constantly being developed. New technologies (e.g. gene editing), complex statistical methods (e.g. biostatistics), pressure to publish and obtain grants, and growing emphasis on stakeholder driven science (e.g. public-private partnerships) increase the complexity of conducting science. In this complex and dynamic environment, researchers cannot easily identify the correct rules and best tools for responsible conduct of research. This also increasingly constitutes a challenge for RE+RI experts. Aim: Our aim is to create a platform that makes the normative framework governing RE+RI easily accessible, supports application in research and evaluation, and involves all stakeholders in a participatory way, thus achieving sustainability. The platform will foster uptake of ethical standards and responsible conduct of research, and ultimately support research excellence and strengthen society’s confidence in research and its findings. Vision: Our vision is that in order to make the normative framework governing RE+RI accessible, a dynamic online Wiki-platform, owned by the community of RE+RI stakeholders, is needed. The value of this platform will lie in the availability of practical information on how to comply with EU, national and discipline-specific RE+RI standards and legislation, including information on rules and procedures, educational materials, and illustrative cases and scenarios. Adopting open science (open source and open data) approaches, the platform will be easy to use, by applying novel techniques for data collection and comparison, enabling users to navigate quickly and intuitively to appropriate content. In order to keep the platform up-to-date and sustainable, it will be based upon active involvement of the RE+RI community, and will contribute to further development of this community by providing a podium for reflection and dialogue on RE+RI norms and practices. Objectives: EnTIRE’s work packages (WP) will: undertake an in-depth stakeholder consultation across EU countries exploring RE+RI experiences and practices in order to define the boundaries of data to be collected, and developing a mapping structure adapted to user needs (WP 2); assemble the relevant normative elements, including RE+RI rules and procedures, educational materials, and illustrative casuistry, and identify relevant institutions across EU countries (WP 3-5); develop a user-friendly Wiki-platform and online resources to foster and facilitate responsible research practices and to promote compliance amongst European researchers with RE+RI standards and pertinent legislation and regulations (WP 6); and foster further development of the RE+RI community, that will support the platform and be supported by it, will keep the information up-to-date, disseminate the project’s findings and develop innovative strategies for maintaining the platform and building relationships to relevant organisations for further dissemination, including sustainable funding (WP 7). Relevance to the work programme: The proposed project responds directly to the core requirement of call SwafS-16-2016 to ‘provide a dynamic mapping of the RE+RI normative framework which applies to scientific research conducted in the EU and beyond’. Our proposal does this by using a participatory approach, stimulating knowledge transfer regarding codes and regulations, resources and institutions, and cases, by applying innovative ICT solutions and open science approaches, and by further developing a community of active users, to enable sustainability after the end of the project.


2015 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
Bertil Fabricius Dorch

<p>This paper makes the case for Open Science as a means to support and practice Responsible Conduct of Research. Responsible and ethical research practices imply research integrity in terms of transparency, honesty and accountability in all parts of research, being it when attaining funding for research, collecting and analyzing research data, collaborating on research, performing scholarly communication, e.g. authoring and disseminating research etc. Likewise, the topics normally associated with Open Science directly support responsible conduct and in fact, one can argue that Open Science is a ubiquitous prerequisite for good research practice.</p>


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aoife Coffey ◽  
◽  
Louise Burgoyne ◽  
Brendan Palmer

University College Cork is committed to the highest standard of Research Integrity (RI). The recently published National Framework on the Transition to an Open Research Environment aims to move Ireland another step closer to an open research environment (National Open Research Forum, 2019). One of the central elements underpinning the framework is Research Integrity and Responsible Research practice. This is also reflective of the international emphasis on not only a more open research environment but on more transparent and robust research practices generally, with a particular focus on data management and availability (​ Wilkinson et al., 2016).​ In 2016 a Research Integrity Pilot was run in the UCC Skills Centre in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI) and interested academics from the UCC community. Working closely with the Dean of Graduate studies, this pilot resulted in the development of the module PG6015 An​ Introduction to Research Integrity, Ethics and Open Science for postgraduate students. The new module did not address the needs of staff however, who needed an offering that was more condensed, targeted yet flexible when required. Along this developmental journey, UCC consulted with some leading experts in the field of Research Integrity (RI) by hosting, Prof. Philip DeShong and Prof. Robert Dooling from the University of Maryland via a Fulbright Specialist Award. This award facilitated real insight and a fuller understanding of what RI means together with the need for discipline specific discussion and debate around the topic of Responsible Conduct in Research in its fullest sense. In 2018, access to the Epigeum online course in Research Integrity was enabled through the National Research Integrity Forum. This course provides a good basis for learning in the area of RI but it does not address a need for a blended learning approach around the topics of Responsible Conduct of Research. Through this process began the genesis of an idea which in 2019 resulted in the development of the UCC Digital Badge in the Responsible Conduct of Research. Micro-credentials are a new and innovative learning platform that rewards learner effort outside of traditional pathways, digital badges are an example of these. The Digital Badge in the Responsible Conduct of Research is a research led, team based initiative developed through a unique interdisciplinary collaboration between central research services at UCC. The collaborative process has resulted in an offering that gives an integrated and comprehensive view of three distinct but related areas, Research Integrity, Research Data Management & the Fair Principles and Reproducible Research. Developed by OVPRI, UCC Library and the Clinical Research Facility-Cork (CRF-C), each of the collaborators were already providing training and resources in there own niche but realised a more holistic approach would be greater than the sum of its parts. The purpose of the Digital Badge is to foster and embed best practice and the key elements of Responsible Research in the UCC research community. It offers researchers an opportunity to address significant gaps in their skills and prepares them for the changes in the research landscape occurring both nationally and internationally.


2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (Special Issue) ◽  
pp. 33-33
Author(s):  
Susan Berentsen ◽  
◽  
Fenneke Blom ◽  
Rob van der Sande ◽  
◽  
...  

"In the Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences (UASs) applied research is gaining an increasingly important place in their activities, not only as a means to improve teaching but as a means to develop innovations and professionalism as well. The establishment of a clear framework of research integrity is an important condition to foster the research environment. Up to now, in the UASs there is no specific training for researchers that helps researchers to develop the necessary competencies. This project seeks to address this issue by developing a training program on ‘Responsible Conduct of Research’. To identify what topics should be covered twelve researchers from six different UASs and seven different domains were interviewed (Economics, Arts and Culture, Pedagogy, Technology, Healthcare, Business Administration, and Bioinformatics). Their input resulted in a picture of the state of the art in integrity issues that the interviewees considered as important. Based on an explorative qualitative data analysis and the project team’s expertise tailored learning objectives and appropriate learning methods were formulated. The training program will likely be offered through the Association of UASs (Vereniging van Hogescholen) to all UASs in our country. "


Author(s):  
Leilani Goosen

The purpose of this chapter is firstly to build on the existing literature in the field of research methodology, especially as applicable in the emerging areas of information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D) and massive open online courses (MOOCs). This chapter is further aimed at enabling readers to understand why ethics is important in research relating to ICT4D and MOOCs, as well as identifying other elements critical to the responsible conduct of research in the areas of ICT4D and MOOCs. The chapter specifically discusses research integrity in the context of a MOOC entitled Ethical Information and Communication Technologies for Development Solutions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Priya Satalkar ◽  
David Shaw

Abstract Background Structured training in research integrity, research ethics and responsible conduct of research is one strategy to reduce research misconduct and strengthen reliability of and trust in scientific evidence. However, how researchers develop their sense of integrity is not fully understood. We examined the factors and circumstances that shape researchers’ understanding of research integrity. Methods This study draws insights from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 33 researchers in the life sciences and medicine, representing three seniority levels across five research universities in Switzerland. Results The results of this study indicate that early education, moral values inculcated by the family and participation in team sports were the earliest influences on notions of honesty, integrity and fairness among researchers. Researchers’ personality traits, including degree of ambition and internal moral compass, were perceived as critical in determining the importance they attributed to conducting research with high ethical standards. Positive and negative experiences in early research life also had a significant impact on their views regarding research integrity. Two thirds of the study participants had not received any formal training in research integrity. Their awareness of training opportunities at their institutions was also limited. Conclusion Age-appropriate development of honesty and integrity starts as early as primary education. Research integrity training should be offered from the bachelors level and continue throughout the entire professional life of researchers. Although these courses may not imbue researchers with integrity itself, they are essential to improving the research culture, reinforcing integrity norms, and discouraging researchers who lack personal integrity from engaging in research misconduct.


mBio ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ferric C. Fang ◽  
Joan W. Bennett ◽  
Arturo Casadevall

ABSTRACT A review of the United States Office of Research Integrity annual reports identified 228 individuals who have committed misconduct, of which 94% involved fraud. Analysis of the data by career stage and gender revealed that misconduct occurred across the entire career spectrum from trainee to senior scientist and that two-thirds of the individuals found to have committed misconduct were male. This exceeds the overall proportion of males among life science trainees and faculty. These observations underscore the need for additional efforts to understand scientific misconduct and to ensure the responsible conduct of research. IMPORTANCE As many of humanity’s greatest problems require scientific solutions, it is critical for the scientific enterprise to function optimally. Misconduct threatens the scientific enterprise by undermining trust in the validity of scientific findings. We have examined specific demographic characteristics of individuals found to have committed research misconduct in the life sciences. Our finding that misconduct occurs across all stages of career development suggests that attention to ethical aspects of the conduct of science should not be limited to those in training. The observation that males are overrepresented among those who commit misconduct implies a gender difference that needs to be better understood in any effort to promote research integrity.


Author(s):  
Sara E. Wilson

Training in the responsible conduct of research (RCR) has become an increasing concern of federal funding agencies such as NIH and NSF. In 2000, the Office of Research Integrity published the policy of instruction in responsible conduct of research for NIH funded research. This policy mandates that all research staff participate in RCR instruction. In 2007, the COMPETES Act was signed by President Bush mandating RCR instruction of all NSF-funded undergraduate students, graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers. Such training can and does take many forms, from online tutorials and study guides to seminar series to semester long classes. Core instructional areas in such training include appropriate data management, mentor-trainee relationships, publication practices and authorship, peer review, human and animal subjects and conflict of interest.


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