Overview

Estimated course duration: 45 – 75 minutes 
Responsible conduct of research is knowing and living up to your responsibilities as a researcher. This course provides an overview of the responsible conduct of research and the challenges researchers face in meeting them.

The overview of responsibilities is presented in three ways, as:

• Summary checklists to provide a quick overview of basic responsibilities
• Additional information about each responsibility to provide a deeper understanding
• Challenges researchers face in meeting their responsibilities to help them avoid problems.

Syllabus

• • • Module 1: Overview of the responsible conduct of research
    • Module 2: Planning research
    • Module 3: Conducting & interpreting research
    • Module 4: Sharing & publicizing data/evidence
    • Module 5: Professional responsibilities
    • Module 6: National policies
    • Module 7: Certification quiz

Overview

Estimated course duration: 15 – 30 minutes 

Protecting human subjects in research is a high priority for research programs throughout the world. This course provides a summary and brief explanations of the basic responsibilities researchers have when conducting human subjects research.

It covers:

• Guiding principles
• Review and approval
• Preparing for review
• Ethical considerations
• Continuing responsibilities

Overview

Estimated course duration: 15 – 30 minutes 

The decision to use animals in research is a personal one that researchers should make thoughtfully, taking into account the different views that exist.

The use of animals in research is controversial. Some view it as essential to the advancement of knowledge for the benefit of society, while others view some or all animal research as inhumane, unethical and unacceptable. 

This course provides summary and brief explanations of the basic responsibilities researchers have when conducting animal subjects research. It covers:

• Global guidance and ethical principles
• Institutional context
• Getting approval
• Next steps
• What can go wrong

Overview

Estimated course duration: 15 – 30 minutes 

“Conflicts of interest” occur when personal interests and other interests, such as financial interests, conflict with professional interests and responsibilities.

This course summarises your responsibilities for identifying and disclosing your conflicts of interests as set out in:

• Government policies
• Institutional policies
• Professional policies

Overview

Estimated course duration: 15 – 30 minutes  

Every research project poses some risks to safety and health. Therefore, all researchers should give some consideration to safety and health when planning and conducting research. This optional course provides a general introduction to workplace safety issues and the special issues raised by hazardous materials and equipment.

Overview

Estimated course duration: 15 – 30 minutes 

Society generally grants the ownership of intellectual property to the individual who develops it. This optional course provides an overview of the responsibilities associated with the protection and ownership of intellectual property in research.

It covers:

• Copyrights
• Patents
• Ownership and use
• Emerging issues

Overview

Estimated course duration: 15 – 30 minutes  

Biological and biomedical researchers are responsible for following the general rules for workplace safety established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other state and local agencies. If they study pathogens, use special agents, or engage in some types of biological/biomedical research, researchers may have additional responsibilities. This optional course provides an introduction to these additional responsibilities, including “biohazards”, under the general heading of “biosafety”.

Overview

Estimated course duration: 15 – 30 minutes 

Export control regulations can be complicated. Decisions have to be made about the exact nature of the technology or information/data involved, relationships with individual countries and more. If your research could be subject to export control regulations, it is best to get in touch with a knowledgeable institutional official early in the research planning process. At some institutions, pre-approval may be necessary.

This optional course is designed to help researchers understand why and when research could fall under export control regulations and what to do if it does.

It covers:

• Key regulations
• Coverage
• Advice and institutional support
• Case studies