Responsible Conduct of Research

Institutional Review Board

Bucknell's Policy on Scientific Misconduct (.pdf)

Data Management
Accepted practices for acquiring and maintaining research data. Proper methods for record keeping and electronic data collection and storage in scientific research. Includes defining what constitutes data; keeping data notebooks or electronic files; data privacy and confidentiality; data selection, retention, sharing, ownership, and anaysis; data as legal documents and intellectual property, including copyright laws

Mentor / Trainee Relationships
The responsibilites of mentors and trainees in predoctoral and postdoctoral research programs. Includes the role of a mentor, responsibilities of a mentor, conflicts between mentor and trainee, collaboration and competition, selection of a mentor, and abusing the mentor/trainee relationship

Publication Practices & Responsible Authorship
The purpose and importance of scientific publication, and the responsibilities of the authors. Includes topics such as collaborative work and assigning appropriate credit, acknowledgements, appropriate citations, repetitive publications, fragmentary publications, sufficient descriptions of methods, corrections and retractions, conventions for deciding upon authors, author responsibilities, and the pressure to publish

Peer Review
The purpose of peer review in determining merit for research funding and publications. Includes topics such as, the definition of peer review, impartiality, how peer review works, editorial boards and ad hoc reviewers, responsibilities of reviewers, privileged information, and confidentiality

Collaborative Science
Research collaborations and issues that may arise from such collaborations. Includes topics such as setting ground rules early in the collaboration, avoiding authorship disputes, and the sharing of materials and information with internal and external collaborating scientists

Human Subjects
Issues important in conducting research involving human subjects. Includes topics such as the definition of human subjects research, ethical principles for conducting human subjects research, informed consent, confidentiality and privacy of data and patient records, risks and benefits, preparation of a research protocol, adherence to study protocol, proper conduct of the study, and special protections for targeted populations, e.g., children, minorities, and the elderly

Research Involving Animals
Issues important to conducting research involving animals. Includes topics such as definition of research involving animals, ethical principles for conducting research on animals, Federal regulations governing animal research, insitutional animal care and use committees, and treatment of animals

Research Misconduct
The meaning of research misconduct and the regulations, policies, and guidelines that govern research misconduct in PHS-funded institutions. Incldes topics such as fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism; error vs. intentional misconduct; institutional misconduct; protection of whistleblowers; and outcomes of investigations, including institutional and Federal actions

Conflict of Interest & Commitment
The definition of conflicts of interest and how to handle conflicts of interest. Typies of conflicts encountered by researchers and institutions. Includes topics such as conflicts associated with collaborators, publication, financial conflicts, obligations to other constituencies, and other types of conflict

From the Office of Research Integrity, Department of Health and Human Services