Texas Tech University

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

Responsible Conduct of Research Articles

Articles below written by Marianne Evola (unless otherwise noted)

June 7, 2018
The Nitpicky People: Why Compliance Committees and Personnel Attend to Details

March 1, 2018
"The Dog Ate My Data" and Other Excuses Commonly Given for Alleged Misconduct

December 7, 2017
Excuses Provided by Researchers Facing Allegations of Misconduct

October 5, 2017
Protecting Against Protocol Shift: Endless and Exhausting Vigilance

August 3, 2017
Finding the Right Research Lab: A Website for Reviewing Research Mentors

June 8, 2017
Paraphrasing Software: A New Source of Awkward Sentences and an Obstacle to Intellectual Growth

April 6, 2017
How Frankenstein Bridges the Sciences and the Humanities
Guest column by Kelsie Jackson

March 2, 2017
The Critical Role of Peer Review in Ethical Communication

February 2, 2017
The Significance and Fragility of Professional Reputations

January 5, 2017
Ethical Training for Student Researchers Working with Human Research Subjects

December 1, 2016
The Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) Office and the Institutional Review Board (IRB)

November 3, 2016
The Growing Need for Transparency: A Source of Frustration and Pride

October 6, 2016
Self-Plagiarism: Can You Steal From Yourself?

September 8, 2016
The Difficulties of Asking for Help: A Weakness of High Achievers

July 7, 2016
University Bureaucracy: Research Facilitation or Compliance?

June 2, 2016
Is the Research World Facing a Crisis of Reproducibility?

May 5, 2016
Imposter Syndrome: No, You Were Not Mistakenly Accepted to Graduate School

April 7, 2016
Academic Communication: Just the Facts or Are We Salesmen?

March 3, 2016
Perceptions of Bias: A Source for Scandal

February 4, 2016
What is the Goal of Retraction?

January 7, 2016
The Persistence of the Mentor/Protégé Power Dynamic

December 3, 2015
Retraction Watch as a Tool to Promote Responsible Conduct in Research

November 5, 2015
The Free Sharing of Ideas: Repositories of Sterilized Data or the Evolution of the Oral History of a Discipline

October 1, 2015
Best Practices versus the "Wild West Nature of Basic Science"

September 3, 2015
Working Alone: A Challenge to Responsible Research Conduct

August 6, 2015
Never Work Alone - Safety Hazards

July 2, 2015
Data Archiving and Sharing

June 4, 2015
Responsibility, Perception And Oversight And An Awesome 4-Wheeling Vacation

May 7, 2015
Frankenstein and other Science Fiction: Responsible Research Teaching Tools

April 2, 2015
Tools for Responsible Research

March 6, 2015
Negative Results: The Data are the Data

January 16, 2015
Defining Responsible Conduct of Research

December 4, 2014
Mentoring Undergraduate Assistants is Valuable Career Training for Graduate Students

November 6, 2014
When Exempt Does Not Mean Exempt - IRB

October 2, 2014
Sexual Assault - The Undiscussed Safety Issue

September 4, 2014
Ethical Treatment of Human Subjects in Research Should be Important to Everyone

July 10, 2014
Collaboration: The Scholarly "Marriage"

June 5, 2014
The Utility of Data Management Plans and Other Written Protocols

May 8, 2014
Confessions and Enlightenment of a Reluctant Student of Statistics

April 10, 2014
Defining Success

March 10, 2014
Intellectual Property: A Whole Lot More Than Copyrights and Patents

February 7, 2014
Daily Ethical Decision-Making

January 9, 2014
Enhancing Communication and Understanding with the New ARRIVE Guidelines for Publication

December 5, 2013
The Logic of Responsible Conduct of Research Training

November 7, 2013
Tips From A Recovering Procrastinator

October 3, 2013
Reputation, Perception of Conflict of Interest and Potential for Bias in Research

September 3, 2013
Defining Authorship: Thoughts on a Necessary Conversation

August 8, 2013
Our goals are the Same – The Culture of Cooperation Between the Research and the Compliance Divisions

July 9, 2013
Data Ownership

June 6, 2013
Cultural Differences and Knowledge About Responsible Research Conduct

May 2, 2013
Challenges For Data Management

April 8, 2013
The Use of Checklists for Lab and Data Management

March 7, 2013
Self-plagiarism – Beware!

February 7, 2013
Objectivity, Bias and (Financial) Conflict of Interest

January 10, 2013
The ‘Re-'s of Responsible Research

December 10, 2012
Promoting a Safety Culture

November 9, 2012
Social Responsibility, the Lesser Discussed Parameter of Responsible Research Conduct

September 11, 2012
Knowing Right from Wrong is Not the Same as Doing Right and Wrong

August 1, 2012
Should I Stay? Deciding Whether to Stay With a Lab or Mentor

July 3, 2012
Choosing a Mentor or Research Group

June 6, 2012
The Importance of Difficult Dialogues

May 3, 2012
The “Management” Part of Data Management

April 4, 2012
An Interest in Plagiarism

March 7, 2012
Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR) Training – Why Participate?

Sponsor Requirements and Guidance

Samples of Professional Association Guidance

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

Defining the Role of Authors and Contributors – International Committee of Medical Journal Editors

Authorship and Authorship Responsibilities – Council of Science Editors

Processes for Authorship Dispute Resolution – NIH Office of Intramural Research (link at bottom offers guidelines for authorship contributions)

How to handle authorship disputes: a guide for new researchers – Committee on Publication Ethics (2003)

Setting Up Collaborations