Research Compliance

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) encompasses many elements such as the protection of human and animal subjects, responsible peer review, professional standards and management of data. RCR assures that the functioning of the research process meets the professional obligations of scientists, faculty, staff, and students and contributes to the perpetration of research as an activity that is held in high regard.

Types of Skills That Help RCR

• Ethical Decision Making
• Critical Thinking
• Moral Reasoning
• Analytical
• Communication
• Methodological

Training in Responsible Conduct of Research at ODU 

Old Dominion University has a policy of training all graduate students in the fundamentals of Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). This policy was adopted with the understanding that the knowledge and philosophy presented in the RCR training can enhance the professional development of all students, regardless of discipline. The following requirement is presented on page 57of the Graduate Catalog:

"All graduate students must complete the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) seven core RCR training modules.  These modules address the following: Misconduct (falsification, fabrication and plagiarism); Data acquisition, management, sharing and ownership; mentor/trainee relationship; Publication practices and responsible authorship; Peer review; Conflicts of interest; and, Collaborative research. Completion of the RCR modules will be tracked through the CITI webiste and must be completed within twelve months after first enrolling. As appropriate to their general field of study, students can complete the Biomedical, Social & Behavioral Research, Physical Sciences, or Humanities RCR track offered by CITI to fulfill this requirement."

As noted in this policy, graduate students must complete the CITI training within their first year of enrollment at ODU. These instructions will guide students through the beginning of this process.

Resources for RCR:

• Data acquisition, management, sharing, and ownership
  • Old Dominion University Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH) Dating Sharing Policy
  • United States Copyright Office
  • United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
  • Online Decision Instruction on Data Management - Northern Illinois University
  
  
• Mentor/trainee responsibilities
  • Council of Graduate Schools (CGS)
  • MentorNet: The E-Mentoring Network for Women in Engineering and Science
  • National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine (1997): Adviser, Teacher, Role Model, Friend: On Being a Mentor to Students in Science and Engineering. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.
  • National Academy of Science (NAS), 2000. Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers: A Guide for Postdoctoral Scholars, Advisors, Institutions, Funding Organizations, and Disciplinary Societies. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press
  • National Institutes of Health Office of the Director, June 2002. A Guide to Training and Mentoring in the Intramural Research Program at NIH
  
  
• Publication practices and responsible authorship
  • American Chemical Society Ethical Guidelines to Publication of Chemical Research
  • Council of Science Editor
  • International Committee of Medical Journal Editors Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication
  • Journal of the American Medical Association Instructions for Authors, Manuscript Criteria and Information
  • Lancet Information for Authors
  • Office of Research Integrity (ORI) Working Definition of Plagiarism
  
  
• Peer review
  • Council of Scientific Editors Editorial Policy Statements
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Extramural Research (OER): Peer Review Policy and Issues
  
  
• Collaborative science
  • Dynamic Issues in Scientific Integrity: Collaborative Research
  • National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council (1999): Overcoming Barriers to Collaborative Research. Report of a Workshop. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.
  • Preempting Discord: Prenuptial Agreements for Scientists
  • Silence is not Golden: Making Collaborations Work
  
  
• Human subjects
  • 45 CFR Part 46- Protection of Human Subjects
  • 21 CFR Part 50 - Protection of Human Subjects
  • 21 CFR Part 56 - Institutional Review Boards
  • Belmont Report
  • Declaration of Helsinki
  • Human Participant Protections Education for Research Teams
  • Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP)
  • Old Dominion University Procedures for Review of Human Subjects Research
  • Old Dominion University Research Involving Human Subjects
  
  
• Research involving animals
  • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
  • Animal Welfare Act
  • Animal Welfare Information Center
  • Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
  • Health Research Extension Act of 1985, "Animals in Research," NIH
  • Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW)
  • Old Dominion University IACUC Program of Animal Care and Use
  • Old Dominion University Research Involving Animals
  • PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
  
  
• Research misconduct
  • National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine (1995): On Being a Scientist: Responsible Conduct in Research. National Academy Press
  • Office of Research Integrity (ORI)
  • Office of Research Integrity Handling Misconduct
  • Old Dominion University Policy for Responding to Allegations of Misconduct in Scientific Research and Scholarly Activity.
  • Old Dominion University Procedures for Responding to Allegations of Misconduct in Scientific Research or Other Scholarly Activity
  • Old Dominion University Scientific Misconduct
  
  
• Conflict of interest and commitment
  • AAU (2001): Report on Individual and Institutional Conflict of Interest
  • NIH Office of Extramural Research Conflict of Interest Page
  • ODU Conflict of Financial Interest
  • ODU Conflicts of Commitment and Influence
  • Old Dominion University Policy on Financial Interests in Sponsored Programs
  • Old Dominion University Procedures for Compliance with the Virginia State Local Government Conflict of Interest Act