Responsible Conduct of Research Rod Kelln Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research University of Regina

Definition Responsible conduct of research (RCR) can be defined as the practice of conducting research and scholarship with integrity. It involves the awareness and application of established professional norms and ethical principles in the performance of all activities related to research and scholarship. 1. RCR is an essential component of research training. Therefore, instruction in responsible conduct of research should be an integral part of all research training programs. 2. Active involvement in matters pertaining to RCR should occur throughout one’s career. Instruction in RCR is, therefore, appropriate to the career stage of individuals who are initiating training in research. 3. Research faculty of the institution should participate in instruction in RCR in ways that allow them to serve as effective role models for their trainees, fellows, and scholars. 4. Instruction should include face-to-face discussions, i.e., on-line instruction may be a component of instruction in RCR, but should not be considered sufficient to meet the requirement for such instruction, except in special or unusual circumstances.

Subject matter a. conflict of interest – personal, professional, and financial b. policies regarding human subjects, live animal subjects in research, and safe laboratory practices c. mentor/mentee responsibilities and relationships in collaborative research, including collaborations with industry* d. peer review e. data acquisition and laboratory tools; management, sharing and ownership f. research misconduct and policies for handling misconduct g. responsible authorship and publication h. the researcher as a responsible member of society, contemporary ethical issues in research, and the environmental and societal impacts of one’s research

Tri-Agency Framework: RCR (2011) Panel on Responsible Conduct of Research The Framework (PDF 142KB), complete with an Appendix to address allegations of wrong-doing and a glossary of termsThe Framework Administered by the Secretariat on Responsible Conduct of Research (SRCR ● The Framework sets out the responsibilities and corresponding policies for researchers, Institutions, and the Agencies, to support and promote a positive research environment. ● It specifies the responsibilities of researchers regarding research integrity, applying for funding, financial management, and requirements for conducting certain types of research, and defines what constitutes a breach of Agency policies. ● For Institutions, it details minimum requirements for institutional policies to address allegations of policy breaches, and Institutions' responsibilities for promoting RCR and reporting to the Agencies. *Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) public access course

Defining Research (Australian Code) The meaning of 'research', as used in the Australian Code for RCR, is: original investigation undertaken to gain knowledge, understanding and insight. It is a broad concept and there is no simple, single way to define research for all disciplines. It excludes the routine testing and routine analysis of materials, components and processes, such as for the maintenance of national standards, as distinct from the development of new analytical techniques. It also excludes the development of teaching materials that do not embody original research. “New and original research” Scholarship has the particular meaning: the creation, development and maintenance of intellectual infrastructure of subjects and disciplines, in forms such as dictionaries, scholarly editions, catalogues and contributions to major research data bases. (From the Research Assessment Exercise, United Kingdom and included in the Australian Code of RCR)