Responsible Conduct of Research Resources

The TTU Office of Research Integrity works to promote safe, responsible, and productive research practices. The associated Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training supplements research training provided by exceptional Texas Tech faculty to raise trainee awareness of professional standards of research ethics, integrity, and safety, and of challenges they may face throughout their careers. The Office of Research Integrity provides RCR education and guidance on effective research practices such as data management, personnel management, time management, safety in research, intellectual property, management of conflict of interest, ethical use of humans in research, ethical use of animals in research, social responsibility for research, effective collaboration, and research misconduct.

Policies and Resources

Texas Tech Policies

Operating Procedures Regarding Research

Faculty Handbook

Student Handbook

Compliance Committees

TTU NSF Ethics Plan

Responsible Conduct of Research Articles

Articles below written by Marianne Evola (unless otherwise noted)

Developing Professional Skills

Ten Simple Rules Collection – Each article in "Ten Simple Rules" provides a quick, concentrated guide for mastering some of the professional challenges that scholars face in their careers. Examples include Ten Simple Rules for a good data management plan, for establishing international collaborations, and to win a Nobel Prize.

Making the Right Moves – Based on workshops co-sponsored by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and HHMI, this book provides practical advice from seasoned investigators and includes chapters on laboratory leadership, getting funded, project management, and teaching and course design.

Science Careers – Career tools and advice from AAAS

ORI – Office of Research Integrity, US DHHS. Click on RCR Resources on the blue ribbon to open a menu of resources. Two of the best are

The Lab – an interactive movie (English, Spanish, or Chinese) that allows you to make decisions about questionable research practices
The Research Clinic – a simulated research study that lets you become the PI, a research coordinator, an RA, or an IRB Chair

Defining Authorship & Credit

Authorship Guidance

Peer Review Confidentiality Requirements

Peer reviewers must preserve confidentiality throughout the review process. This obligation requires awareness that some practices are unacceptable when serving as a peer reviewer. For example, it is unacceptable to do any of the following without receiving prior permission from the funding agency or journal editor/publisher:

Ask students or anyone else to conduct or contribute to a proposal or manuscript review you were asked to complete.
Use an idea or information contained in a grant proposal or in an unpublished manuscript before it becomes publicly available.
Discuss grant proposals or manuscripts you are reviewing with internal or external colleagues (administrators, supervisors, peers, subordinates, students, etc.), family members (spouses/partners, children, etc.) or friends.
Provide paper or electronic copies of grant proposals or manuscripts you are reviewing to internal or external colleagues (administrators, supervisors, peers, subordinates, students, etc.), family members (spouses/partners, children, etc.) or friends.
Retain a copy of the reviewed material after the review is completed. Generally, manuscripts and grant proposals should be shredded or returned after the review is complete.

Adhering to the confidentiality of peer review processes is also essential when serving as a manuscript author or contributor to a research proposal. You should not contact review panel members or journal reviewers to discuss your submission before or after review.

Please consider the following points regarding confidentiality requirements during the peer review process:

Non-Disclosure
Treat all information provided in grant applications and manuscripts, including project details, budget information and personal data, as strictly confidential. Disclosing any of this information to unauthorized individuals violates your confidentiality agreement.

Privacy Protection
Pay close attention to protecting the privacy of applicants submitting grant proposals and manuscripts. Any personal or sensitive information shared within grant applications and manuscripts should be handled with the utmost care to prevent unauthorized access or disclosure.

Professionalism and Respect
Demonstrate professionalism and respect for applicants by maintaining strict confidentiality. Doing so upholds your commitment to ethical conduct and ensures all applicants are treated fairly and without bias during the review process.

Data Security
Ensure that all electronic and/or physical copies of grant applications and manuscripts are stored securely and accessed only by authorized personnel involved in the review process. Safeguarding data security is critical to preventing any unauthorized breaches of confidentiality.

Questions regarding peer review and confidentiality should be addressed to Dr. Alice Young or Dr. CassiDe Street in the Office of Responsible Research.

Texas Tech expects faculty serving as peer reviewers to understand and abide by these confidentiality principles and their written agreements with external agencies and publishers. Thank you for your commitment to upholding confidentiality requirements in peer reviews.