GRS Seminar ‐ Research Conduct Ethics, Plagiarism, Authorship & Data Management

Graduate Research School Seminar Series - JUN 2018

Eight principles of research conduct

1. Honesty

2. Rigour

3. Transparency

4. Fairness

5. Respect

6. Recognition

7. Accountability

8. Promotion

https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines-publications/r39

Principles of Responsible Research Conduct

Research: advance knowledge, find truth, avoid error, work collaborativelyEthics = norms that distinguish acceptable from unacceptable behaviour Ethics is more than following the rules

For researchers integrity embodies above all the individual’s commitment to intellectual honesty and personal responsibility. It is an aspect of moral character and experience. For an institution, it is a commitment to creating an environment that promotes responsible conduct by embracing standards of excellence, trustworthiness and lawfulness… (US Academies of Science, 2002)

UWA policies provide comprehensive framework of minimum acceptable standards:• Code of Conduct for the Responsible Practice of Research • Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct• Academic Conduct• Graduate Research Training

Being an Ethical Researcher

Relevant Policies, Rules, Guidelines includes

• Ethics• Authorship• Data management• Plagiarism

Research Conduct

www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/students/policies

Research Integrity, Safety and Intellectual Property

Section 3.4.1

A student must, in conjunction with their supervisors, ensure that all

necessary approvals from University ethics and other committees

have been obtained prior to commencing any research that requires

specific approval.

http://www.governance.uwa.edu.au/procedures/policies/policies-and-

procedures?method=document&id=UP12%2F11

Graduate Research Training Policy

Code of Conduct for the Responsible Practice of Research

• Data management• Supervision• Publication, authorship• Conflicts of interest• Collaboration

Draws from the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2018):

www.governance.uwa.edu.au/procedures/policies/policies-and-procedures?method=document&id=UP12/25

UWA Policy on: Academic Conduct

• Plagiarism

http://www.governance.uwa.edu.au/procedures/policies/policies-and-procedures?policy=UP07%2F21

http://www.research.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/3070495/ResearchIntegrityAdvisors.pdf

UWA Ethics approval must be sought for all projects that involve the use of humans or animals

Every person listed on a UWA animal ethics approved application, or working with animals at UWA, must obtain Permission to Use Animals (PUA) approval

Ethics application forms can be submitted at any time to the ethics committees, but most students submit their ethics application at the same time they submit their proposal to the GRS

Some projects require multiple ethics approvals, and approvals can be submitted at different stages of candidature.

If ethics approval is required, approval of the research proposal will be marked as provisional until the GRS are notified of the ethics approvals number(s)

Ethics

Provisional Approval of Proposal

When ethics approval is required for a project, an ethics milestone(s) will be entered into the milestone list in studentConnect.

For multi-staged projects that require multiple ethics approvals at different times in the project, the research proposal will not be marked as ACHIEVED until the final approval has been granted and the GRS has been notified of the approval number.

Do not start the part of your research that requires UWA ethics approval without the required approval - it is your responsibility to ensure that ethics approval has been obtained and the approved protocols are followed.

Retrospective ethics approval for a research project cannot be granted. For example, retrospective ethics approval will not be granted for a project where recruitment of participants has already been undertaken, research data have already been collected, or where any other substantial research activity has already occurred.

Allow sufficient time, and engage in appropriate planning, to ensure that the ethics review and approval process occurs prior to the planned start of research.

Ethics at UWA

Animal Ethics

Human Ethics

Unattributed use of someone else’s words, creations, ideas and/or argumentshttp://www.worldclasseducation.uwa.edu.au/education-futures/resources/originality-and-academic-integrity

UWA’s plagiarism portalhttp://www.student.uwa.edu.au/learning/studysmarter/getsmart/plagiarism

Turnitin and other content matching toolshttp://www.worldclasseducation.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/2823686/Content-Matching-Tools-December-2015.pdf

Self plagiarismhttp://www.ithenticate.com/plagiarism-detection-blog/bid/65061/What-Is-Self-Plagiarism-and-How-to-Avoid-It#.V0ewRfl96Uk

Plagiarism

http://www.student.uwa.edu.au/learning/studysmarter/getsmart/survivalguides/referencing

StudySmarter Guides:• Avoiding Plagiarism• Avoiding Academic Misconduct• Quoting• Paraphrasing• Using Turnitin

Plagiarism

Authorship must be based on substantial contributions in a combination of:(1) conception and design of the project(2) analysis and interpretation of research data(3) drafting significant parts of the work or critically revising it so as to contribute to the interpretation.

Independent of position, profession, pay (or no pay)

Many journals require author statementsUWA requires Statement of Authorship FormThesis requires Authorship Declaration Form

Authorship

http://www.research.uwa.edu.au/research-policy/?a=554227

Statement of Authorship Form

No gifted authorship or ghost authorship

Gifted authorship = inclusion in author list without meeting minimum requirements for authorship

• authorship comes with responsibilities & accountability• keep written record of authorship agreement 

Gifted and Ghost Authorship

Ghost authorship = absence from author list despite meeting minimum requirements for authorship

• author cannot be excluded without written permission

Author order is usually determined by contribution to 

publication, where greatest contributor first author and 

so on.

Author Order & Corresponding Author

Corresponding author often most stable position – easily contactable. Takes responsibility for 

• record‐keeping regarding the research output• record of author acknowledgement of authorship• managing publication submission & follow‐up

Author order / corresponding author role does not count in research metrics ‐publication / track record rankings

Authorship

UWA codes allow authorship to be determined rationally, consistently & accountably

Discuss publication & authorship with your supervisor(s) early in candidature and then throughout candidature

Understand authorship codes and your disciplinary norms

Use available tools & resources

Get advice from your Research Integrity Advisors:UWA Policy on Determining Authorship and Resolving Disputes Between Authorshttp://www.governance.uwa.edu.au/procedures/policies/policies-and-procedures?method=document&id=UP12%2F13

Researchers need to store and manage all research data/information arising from their research

according to an approved plan for data/information management for the project

This information needs to be retained for the minimum period of time specified by the Western

Australian University Sector Disposal Authority (WAUSDA)

• Retain research data and primary materials:

• Keep primary materials for enough time for reference by other researchers.

• Make it available to other researchers if ethical, privacy or confidentiality allows.

• Institutional policy is usually the minimum.

• Retain results until any challenge to the research is resolved.

• Research records relevant to an allegation must not be destroyed.

• Use local policy on the secure and safe disposal.

• Manage storage of data and primary materials

• Maintain confidentiality

Data Management

http://guides.is.uwa.edu.au/ld.php?content_id=16108310

Data Management Plan

http://www.library.uwa.edu.au/research/research-data-management-toolkit

Data management workshops advertised in:

Library Research Support Calendar:http://guides.library.uwa.edu.au/friendly.php?s=rspGRS Events Calendar:http://www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/students/resources/events

Research Data Management Toolkit

http://www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/contact/staff

Graduate Education Officers