Code of Good Practice in Research

The University expects all its researchers and students to adhere to the highest standards of integrity in research. This statement addresses the issues involved in the proper conduct of research and provides guidance on the standards expected. It applies to staff, honorary staff, students and visiting workers.

Within this over arching framework there may be specific discipline requirements in areas such as ethics, clinical governance, data protection, legal requirements, Home Office and other government requirements, in addition to health and safety and other good laboratory practice requirements. Some disciplines may also be subject to specific good practice requirements of external funding agencies or professional bodies.

1 Integrity and honesty

1.1 Researchers should be honest in respect of their own actions in research and their responses to the actions of other researchers. This applies to the whole range of research work, including experimental design, generating and analysing data, acting as a reviewer or referee on grant applications or research papers etc, applying for funding, publishing results, and acknowledging the direct and indirect contributions of colleagues, collaborators and others.

1.2 Plagiarism, deception or the fabrication or falsification of results, is regarded by the University as a serious disciplinary offence.

2 Research misconduct

2.1 The University takes seriously any allegation of research misconduct and has a written procedure for investigating and resolving such allegations.

2.2 Researchers are encouraged to report cases of research misconduct and to do so in a responsible and appropriate manner. (See University Policy and Procedure on Research Misconduct.)

3 Leadership and co-operation in research groups

3.1 The Vice Chancellor, Pro Vice Chancellors, Provosts, Deans of Research, Heads of Schools, Directors of Research Institutes and Centres, Professorial and all other senior staff are responsible for creating a climate and capacity which ensures that research is conducted in accordance with good research practice.

3.2 Leaders of research groups have responsibility to ensure that a climate of mutual co-operation is created in which all members of the research team are encouraged to develop their skills and in which both the open exchange of ideas and supportive criticism are fostered.

3.3 Research Group leaders must also ensure that appropriate direction of research and supervision of researchers and research students is provided.

4 Openness

4.1 While recognising the need for researchers to protect their own and the University's research interests in the process of planning their research, obtaining and publishing the results, and seeking to develop the outcome of their research into application (where relevant), the University encourages researchers to be as open as possible in discussing their work with other researchers, and with the public.

4.2 Once results have been published the University expects researchers to make available relevant data and materials to other researchers on request, provided that this is consistent with any ethics approval and consents which cover the data and materials and any intellectual property rights in them.

5 Guidance from professional bodies

5.1 Researchers are expected to observe the standards of research practice set out in guidelines published by funding bodies, scientific and learned societies and other relevant professional bodies

5.2 All researchers should be aware of, and comply with, the legal requirements which regulate their work.

6 Ethical Approval

6.1 All research conducted in the University must be carried out in accordance with the University’s Guidance Note Ethics in Research – Policy Statement.

6.2 Researchers whose work involves human participants or human biological samples are expected to comply with Local or Multi Centre Research Ethics Committee requirements and to understand any other requirements of regulatory bodies relating to their work.

7 Documenting results and storing primary data

7.1 There should be clarity at the outset of the research programme as to the ownership of, where relevant:

  • data and samples used or created in the course of the research; and
  • the results of the research

7.2 Researchers should keep clear and accurate records of the procedure followed and the approvals granted during the research process, including records of the interim results obtained as well as the final research outcomes. This is necessary not only as a means of demonstrating proper research practice, but also in case questions are subsequently asked about either the conduct of the research or the results obtained

7.3 Data generated during the course of research should be kept securely in paper or electronic format as appropriate and retained for at least the minimum time required by law or by the requirements of the subject. Typically this may be six, ten, twelve years or longer. There may be other reasons for keeping data longer – eg long-term longitudinal studies covering whole life-times.

7.4 Back up records should always be kept for data stored on a computer

7.5 Data collected and stored must comply with any legal requirements such as the Data Protection Act.

8 Publishing Results

8.1 Unless there is a compelling reason not to, eg the existence of a confidentiality agreement or other cause, the outcome of research should be published in an appropriate form, usually as papers in refereed journals or other publicly accessible form.

8.2 Researchers should have regard to the commercialisation potential of their work and take appropriate steps to advise the University of any inventions and, where appropriate, take steps to protect any intellectual property prior to publication

8.3 Whilst the publication of the results of research may need to be delayed for a reasonable period pending protection of intellectual property arising from research, such periods of delay in publication should be kept to a minimum

8.4 Anyone listed as an author on a paper should accept responsibility for ensuring that he/she is familiar with the contents of the paper and can identify his/her contribution to it. The practice of honorary authorship is unacceptable.

9 Media

Whilst the University encourages the communication of research to the wider public, any disclosure to the popular media should endeavour to place the research in its appropriate context and care should be taken not to exaggerate the impact of any findings. Appropriate training and guidance should be sought concerning dealings with the press and broadcasting media, and normally statements to the media should be made only after consultation with the University Press Office.

10 Use of Results

10.1 Researchers are expected to maximise the prospects of research being taken into practice through the commercial route by protecting intellectual property (IPR).

10.2 Where a commercial route is not appropriate then it is expected that Researchers will take appropriate steps to ensure that research findings are transferred to relevant user communities.

11 Acknowledging the role of collaborators and other participants

11.1 The contributions of formal collaborators and all others who directly assist or indirectly support the work should be properly acknowledged.

12 Managing Research Projects

12.1 Researchers have a responsibility to ensure that they, and all those who involved in the project, are fully aware of the terms and conditions of grants and contracts and the implication of these in relation to their research projects.

12.2 Lead researchers have a responsibility to ensure that all staff and students working on projects are made aware of, and adhere to, this Code of Good Practice.

13 Conflict of Interest

13.1 Researchers should declare and manage any real or potential conflicts of interest both financial and professional. These might include:

  • where the researchers have an existing or potential interest in the outcome of the research;
  • where there is a private, or private practice, benefit significantly dependent upon the outcome of the research;
  • where the researcher's professional or personal gain arising from the research may be more than might be usual for research.

Revised by University Ethics Committee 19 June 2006
Approved by Council 9 October 2006

Approved by Senate 14 November 2006

This code of practice is consistent with, and is drawn from Codes of Good Research practice published by the BBSRC, MRC, the Wellcome Trust, and the Guidelines from the Association of Medical Research Charities.

Who to contact