Responsible Conduct of Research
Through responsible conduct of research, we strive to adhere to the highest standards of compliance as articulated by national and international funding agencies.
Table of Contents
Researchers enjoy important freedoms and privileges, including freedom of inquiry and the right to disseminate the results, freedom to challenge conventional thought, freedom from institutional censorship, and the privilege of conducting research with human participants, with public monies, trust, and support. Along with these freedoms, there are the responsibilities to ensure that research meets high scientific and ethical standards, is honest and thoughtful inquiry, involves rigorous analysis, and the application of professional standards.
Compliance with these standards and responsibilities throughout the university community is advanced by the ongoing education of the members of its community in matters of research integrity and by adopting and following appropriate policies within which research and scholarship should be conducted, policies that all major funding agencies require universities to have in place.
Internal Policies
University Policies
- Intellectual Property: Refer to Article 14.7 of the CUASA Collective Agreement
- Conflict of Interest and Commitment
- Refer to Article 15.5 Section C of the CUASA Collective Agreement
- See Teaching and Learning Services’ resources on plagiarism.
- See MacOdrum Library’s Copyright Compliance Information
Search the University Policies page for the most up-to-date versions of the policies below.
- Carleton University Research Centres
- Conflict of Interest and Commitment
- Environmental Health and Safety (CU WorkSafe)
- Externally Sponsored and Internally Restricted Research Fund Creation and Amendments
- Gifts, Recognition, & Donations (University Funded)
- Indirect Costs of Research
- Payments to Individuals and Business Entities
- Procurement
- Procurement Card (P-Card)
- Responsible Conduct of Research
- Signing Authorities Policy
- Travel and Related Expenses
Working with Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Fellows
- Refer to Article 10.01: Academic Freedom for more information on the publication of research results.
- Refer to Article 11: Rights and Responsibilities of Employees for more information on intellectual property.
Graduate Student Supervision – Responsibilities and Expectations Policy
- Refer to the Responsibilities of Supervisors section for more information regarding publication.
External Policies
Canada
- Canada’s International Development Research Centre Code of Conduct
- IDRC’s Advisory Committee on Research Ethics
- Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA)
- Personal Health Information Protection Act- Ontario (PHIPA)
- Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans- TCPS 2 (2022)
- Tri-Agency Framework Responsible Conduct of Research
- Tri-Agency Responsible Conduct of Research Interpretations
- Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy (See Carleton’s strategy for Research Data Management)
Europe
- Economic and Social Research Council Policies and Guidelines for Good Research Conduct (UK)
- European Commission: The Code of Conduct for Researcher Recruitment
- European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity for Grant Agreements
- World Medical Association: Declaration of Helsinki- Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects
United States
- American Psychological Association Responsible Conduct of Research
- National Institutes of Health (NIH): Research Integrity
- NIH Policies for Promoting Scientific Integrity
External Training Resources
- Tri-council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2) Online Tutorial
- Successful completion of the TCPS-2 Course on Research Ethics (CORE) is required of all researchers seeking ethical clearance from CUREB A/B. This tutorial is compatible with Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer.
- CITI Program Responsible Conduct of Research Training – Please note there is a fee for service training programs.
- Panel on Responsible Conduct of Research (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC)
- Webinar: An Introduction to the Tri-Agency Framework- Responsible Conduct of Research
- Portage: Research and Data Integrity Resources
- Office of Research Integrity
- National Institutes of Health: Responsible Conduct of Research—Training SOP
Publications and Additional Resources
- Susan V. Zimmerman B.A., B.C.L., LL.B., LL.M. & Karen Wallace B.Sc., D.E.C. (2013) Promoting Responsible Conduct of Research: A Canadian Perspective, Accountability in Research, 20(5-6), 395-402.
- Cochrane, L., Boulander. R.F., Sheikheldin, G.H., Song, G. (2018) The Case for Local Ethics Oversight in International Development Research, Ethics and International Development Research, 1(1).
- DuBois, J.M.and Dueker, J.M. (2009) Teaching and Assessing the Responsible Conduct of Research: A Delphi Consensus Panel Report, J Res Adm. 2009 Fall; 40(1): 49–70.
- Rossouw, Theresa M., van Zyl, Christa, & Pope, Anne. (2014). Responsible conduct of research: Global trends, local opportunities. South African Journal of Science, 110(1-2), 1-6.