Research Integrity and Plagiarism Ethics in Research The Growing Importance in Community Colleges January 18, 2008 Peggy Fischer Office of Inspector General National Science Foundation

Definitions (Merriam-Webster) College an institution offering instruction usually in a professional, vocational, or technical field gateway to postsecondary education for many women, minority, low income, and first-generation postsecondary education students ( Educate to train by formal instruction and supervised practice especially in a skill, trade, or profession; to develop mentally, morally, or aesthetically Integrity firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values Applies equally to all participating in system

Context Demographics ~50% of all undergrads attend community colleges >11 million students ~50% of first-time freshmen ~40% are first generation to attend college ~40% of international undergraduates Objectives Preparation for 4-year schools and advanced degrees Workforce development and skills

Context Number of women, minorities and foreign-born dramatically increasing in research work force. Aging and retiring research workforce Science and engineering occupations are an increasing percentage of workforce (only 10% hold doctorates) R&D $ are continually increasing 75% of high school students admitted to cheating 53% of undergraduates admitted to cheating 30% of researchers admitted to “questionable practices” NSF has observed a doubling of allegations and increasing numbers of serious cases resulting in RM findings

Holding the Line on Integrity To act with visible integrity  Adhering to the responsible professional practices that are research integrity  Explaining the expectations, rules-of-the road for Responsible Professional Practices  Imbuing the next generation with a sense of responsibility for research integrity

Responsible Professional Practices Compliance with rules and regulations Peer Review Rules Mentor/ Trainee Responsibilities Human Subjects Regulations Animal Welfare Regulations Research Misconduct  Fabrication  Falsification  Plagiarism Collaborative Research Practices Publication/Authorship Practices Data Sharing/ Acquisition/Management/Ownership Practices Financial Management Conflict of Interest and Commitment Laboratory Management Skills (people/supplies)

Ensuring Research Integrity Teachers: The Front Line Identify essential elements Applicable across institutional efforts / communities Determine vehicle for delivery  On-line?  Separate classes?  Embedded in other classes (microinsertion)?  Laboratory training? Mandatory / Elective? Teachers and Administrators: Actively ensure integrity Act with integrity Enforce expectations in classroom Appropriate penalties for wrongdoers, praise for stars Administrators: Articulate and measure achievements Manage investigative process Report RM to federal agencies as required

Act with Integrity Expect Integrity

Reputations are Invaluable

Why am I here? Represent Office of Inspector General OIG’s focus on:  Fraud, waste, abuse  Economy, efficiency  New and improved policies Tools of the trade:  Audits, inspections, evaluations, investigations, outreach Jurisdiction: NSF Programs and Operations  NSF Charge: to initiate and support basic scientific research and programs to strengthen scientific research potential... at all levels  Institution/Faculty Charge: to manage all aspects of a funded activity and report significant problems

OIG Investigative Process Required by rules to report significant problems including RM Allegation intake from ANY source Gather sufficient information to assess allegation IF RM, refer to institution for investigation, OIG conducts any Federal investigation and refers to NSF for adjudication IF Civil/Criminal, OIG investigates, refers to Justice for prosecution Consequences: Suspension/Debarment/Exclusion Corrective Action Plans Compliance Plans Fines, Penalties Exceptional Status Special Oversight / Review Administrative Sanctions Suspension or Termination of Awards Civil/Criminal Violations  May apply to either individual or entire institution

Research Misconduct Subjects and Complainants  Faculty, PIs, Students, Researchers, Administrators Plagiarism  Papers, proposals  Verbatim, block or patch  Violation of peer review  Collaborative efforts Fabrication /Falsification  Papers  Proposals  Theses, Dissertations, Lab Notebooks Federal Actions Reprimand Certification Assurance Ethics class, teach / attend Bar peer review Award restrictions Award termination Debarment (public action)

Plagiarism: Described Undistinguished, uncited words or ideas of another Citation and offset do not permit violation of confidentiality Sources  Papers, proposals, web sites, manuscripts, conversations  Students, peers, collaborators, colleagues, literature Detection  Students, peers, collaborators, colleagues  Visual inspection, language differences  Computer software

What do we ask the subject first? Did you copy material? If not, explain how the questioned text appears in your document. If you copied the text why was it not properly cited from your original material? Did you have permission to copy the material without citing the source and without distinguishing the copied or closely paraphrased material? If so, please enclose a copy of any written permission or provide details of any oral permission. If the questioned text is so constrained by its technical nature that it can only be described with this text, please provide copies of at least two sources other than your own publications that contain the same text. Is there any additional text that was copied from another source that is not properly cited? Is there material in any other documents you have submitted to NSF that was copied from another source but not properly cited?

Trends (x=year, y= relative increase, base year 1995) When you start looking, you can find interesting things!

Trends (x=year, y= relative increase, base year 1995)

Administrator Responsibilities F KNOW YOUR POLICY, USE YOUR POLICY F Student versus faculty misconduct F Independence and referral F Securing evidence F Records maintenance, PA and FOIA F Confidentiality F Conflict of Interest F Separation of stages F Fair, Timely, Fact- and Document- based, Objective and Impartial F Elements of a Research Misconduct Finding F Research Community Practices F Reporting to Federal Entity

Reporting and Responding to Allegations →←→← balance

Acting with Research Integrity A well-imbued sense of research integrity guides choices and decisions

Contact Information Internet: Telephone: (Peggy) Anonymous: Write:4201 Wilson Blvd. Suite II-705 Arlington, VA 22230