Responsible Conduct of Research (S-20)

Standard: S-20
Responsible Executive: Executive Vice President for Research and Partnerships
Responsible Office: Office of Research and Partnerships
Date Issued: July 1, 2020
Date Last Revised: November 2, 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contacts
Individuals and Entities Affected by this Standard
Statement of Standard
Responsibilities
Definitions (defined terms are capitalized throughout the document)
Related Documents, Forms and Tools
History and Updates
Appendix

CONTACTS

INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES AFFECTED BY THIS STANDARD

Faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students of the University who design and conduct research and/or report and publish research outcomes.

STATEMENT OF STANDARD

Purdue is committed to the highest standards of research integrity and promotes an institutional environment where Responsible Conduct of Research is the norm. To affirm this commitment, the University requires individuals who design and conduct research and/or report and publish research outcomes to be trained in the Responsible Conduct of Research. This standard and its requirements are rooted in, and informed by, Purdue’s overarching Statement of Integrity and Code of Conduct.

Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) has two components:

1. A general online tutorial appropriate for the career stage of the Researcher, and
2. Research field-specific discussions, workshops or seminars offered or recommended by departments, colleges, schools or centers.

Researchers working on sponsored research projects must complete RCR training within the deadlines established by the sponsor. All other University faculty and staff who meet the definition of Researcher must complete the general online RCR training within 120 days of employment with the University. Graduate students who meet the definition of Researcher must complete the general online RCR training within 60 days of enrollment. Undergraduate students who meet the definition of Researcher must complete the general online RCR training within 30 days of their involvement in a research project. Regional Campus vice chancellors and deans, associate/assistant deans for research, and directors of research centers will establish the total duration and completion deadlines for field-specific training, with the general rule that the training be a minimum of two hours total.

The Office of the EVPRP will identify, in collaboration with the colleges, schools, research centers and others, the requirements for general online training for the categories of faculty, staff, and graduate and undergraduate student Researchers. Colleges, schools and research centers are required to develop, promote, deliver or recommend field-specific discussions, workshops or seminars for the faculty, staff, and student Researchers in their units.

Units may implement broader requirements for RCR training of faculty, staff and students under their authority. In cases where the requirements overlap, this standard takes precedent.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Office of the EVPRP

• Collaborate with associate/assistant deans for research, directors of research centers, Regional Campus vice chancellors and deans, the Graduate School, and the Office of Undergraduate Research to identify general online RCR training requirements.
• Identify Researchers who are required to complete general online RCR training.
• Monitor/track completion of general online and research field-specific RCR training.
• Assist Regional Campus vice chancellors and deans, associate/assistant deans for research, and directors of research centers in designing and developing career stage- and research field-appropriate RCR training.
• Review substantive changes to RCR training requirements that affect all Researchers with the appropriate University Faculty Senate committee prior to implementation, when possible.

Regional Campus Vice Chancellors and Deans, Associate/Assistant Deans for Research, and Directors of Research Centers

• Oversee the implementation of career stage- and research field-appropriate RCR training for their respective college, school or center.
• Establish the total duration (minimum of two hours) and completion deadlines for the field-specific RCR training component for their respective units.

Principal Investigators and PhD Advisors

• Ensure that all Researchers under their supervision have completed the general online RCR training by the established deadlines.
• Assist Regional Campus vice chancellors and deans, associate/assistant deans for research, and directors of research centers in developing and delivering career stage- and research field-appropriate RCR training.

Graduate School

• Work with the Office of the EVPRP to identify graduate students and postdoctoral researchers who meet the definition of Researcher.

Office of Undergraduate Research

• Work with the Office of the EVPRP to identify undergraduate students who meet the definition of Researcher.

DEFINITIONS

All defined terms are capitalized throughout the document. Refer to the central Policy Glossary for additional defined terms.

Researcher
This term includes the following:

1. University faculty and staff who design and conduct research and/or report and publish research outcomes,
2. Graduate students who are enrolled in a PhD or master’s program with a research thesis or component, and
3. Undergraduate students involved in a research project or conducting student-initiated research.

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)
Scientific investigation practiced with honesty, integrity and within established professional norms and ethical principles.

RELATED DOCUMENTS, FORMS AND TOOLS

This standard is issued in support of the University’s Statement of Integrity and Code of Conduct.

The EVPRP website on Responsible Conduct of Research includes guidance for completing both components of RCR training, links to online forms for reporting research field-specific RCR training completion, answers to frequently asked questions, and other educational resources.

Sponsoring agency RCR training requirements:

1. NSF: Training in Responsible Conduct of Research – A Reminder of the NSF Requirement
2. NIH: Update on the Requirement for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research
3. USDA/NIFA: Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research
4. ORI: Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research

Related policies:

1. Intellectual Property (I.A.1)
2. Research Misconduct (III.A.2)

HISTORY AND UPDATES

November 2, 2020: Updated language in Statement of Standard to clarify that colleges, schools, departments and centers can recommend external training to fulfill the second component of RCR training. Assigned authority for determining the duration and completion deadlines of the second component to the Regional Campus vice chancellors and deans, associate/assistant deans for research, and directors of research centers. Removed the annual training report/monitoring responsibilities.

July 1, 2020: This is the first standard to address this issue.

APPENDIX

There are no appendices to this standard.