RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH
Requirements for the Fulfillment of Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)
Training at Otterbein University
I.
Purpose and Participation
The Otterbein University Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Program was developed as a
companion to the curriculum to ensure all students engaged in research have reviewed
contemporary standards of ethics in their respective fields.
Otterbein University implements the RCR program in several ways, including, but not limited to:
 Online training modules and tutorials
 Adherence to Departmental expectations in Responsible Conduct of Research, if
required. See links to national organizations related to specific disciplines.
II.
Responsible Conduct of Research
This phrase refers to the decision making process involved in research that encompasses a
broad range of ethical principles that will:
 Respect living beings: protect animal subjects, human participants, research personnel,
and the environment
 Enable public trust: be honest and transparent in all aspects of research (e.g., refrain
from falsifying data, plagiarism or deceitful attribution of authorship)
 Support responsible stewardship: remain current with discipline related developments,
share ideas and information, and keep accurate and complete laboratory records
III.
Otterbein University RCR Education Plan
Federal grant guidelines1 from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of
Health (NIH), and foundations such as Research Corporation for Science Advancement, require
RCR education programs for people who are engaged in grant-supported research. At
Otterbein University, anyone engaged in research will be held to the highest standards of
ethical conduct. Students must successfully complete the following to ensure participation
and/or payment in grant-supported research.
 The Ethics CORE tutorial(s) https://nationalethicscenter.org/nsf-rcr-requirement
 Additional training modules or research methods courses required by the student’s
department
 Otterbein’s Environmental Health & Safety training online modules (as required by the
student’s discipline and advisor) found at
1
Section 7009 of the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology,
Education, and Science (COMPETES) Act (42 U.S.C. 1862o–1 )
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RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH
http://www.otterbein.edu/intranet/ESH/training.aspx. [From O-zone, click on the
Environmental Health & Safety link in the A-Z menu. From there, click on Training.]
IV.
RCR Checklist for Student Researchers
_____ 1. Meet with your research advisor to define a research plan.
_____ 2. Complete the EthicsCORE tutorial(s) before you start research. Nine RCR topics
are reviewed.
_____ 3. Complete the Otterbein Environmental Health & Safety modules (if required by
your advisor or discipline).
_____ 4. Complete application and review requirements for the Institutional Review
Board (IRB, human subjects) or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
(ACUC, animal subjects) related to your research (if applicable).
_____ 5. Sign the completion affidavit (Attachment B). Your advisor must confirm that you
have completed the Ethics CORE tutorial(s), and any other seminars or research
methods courses required for your discipline. Send the original affidavit to the
Office of Sponsored Programs. If you will be paid to conduct research, this
document must be completed before you receive your first payment.
Plan your time!
Give yourself time to completing the Responsible Conduct of Research requirements
before you begin your research project.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Otterbein and General RCR Resources
Discipline-Specific RCR Resources
B. Student Affidavit
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RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH
ATTACHMENT A
Otterbein and General RCR Resources
On Being a Scientist: Responsible Conduct in Research (National Academy of Sciences)
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4917
Otterbein University Institutional Review Board (IRB) Guidelines
http://www.otterbein.edu/public/Academics/AcademicAffairsDivision/sponsored_progr
ams/Student_research/SRF_Forms.aspx
http://www.otterbein.edu/Files/pdf/SponsoredPrograms/irbguideline.pdf
Otterbein University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee Guidelines
http://www.otterbein.edu/public/Academics/AcademicAffairsDivision/sponsored_progr
ams/Student_research/IRB.aspx
Discipline-Specific RCR Resources
Actuarial Science
Society of Actuaries Code of Professional Conduct
http://www.soa.org/about/membership/about-code-of-professional-conduct.aspx
Anthropology
American Anthropological Association
http://www.aaanet.org/profdev/ethics/
Biochemistry
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
http://www.asbmb.org/Page.aspx?id=70&terms=code+of+ethics
Biology and Earth Sciences
American Geosciences Institute
http://www.agiweb.org/workforce/ethics.html
American Society for Microbiology
http://www.asm.org/index.php/governance/code-of-ethics
Botanical Society of America
http://botany.org/governance/ethics.php
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RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH
ATTACHMENT A, continued
Ecological Society of America
http://www.esapubs.org/esapubs/ethics.htm
The Geological Society of America
http://www.geosociety.org/aboutus/ConductCode.htm
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
http://www.ssarherps.org/pages/ethics.php
Chemistry
American Chemical Society
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/careers/profdev/ethics.html
Computer Science
Association for Computing Machinery
http://www.acm.org/about/code-of-ethics
Mathematics
American Mathematical Society (AMS) Ethical Guidelines
http://www.ams.org/about-us/governance/policy-statements/sec-ethics
Physics
American Physical Society
http://www.aps.org/policy/statements/02_2.cfm
Psychology
Protecting Human Research Participants
http://phrp.nihtraining.com/users/login.php
Sociology
American Sociological Association
http://asanet.org/about/ethics.cfm
Statistics
American Statistical Association (ASA) Ethical Guidelines
http://www.amstat.org/committees/ethics/index.cfm
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RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH
ATTACHMENT B
Affidavit of Completion
Student Name ________________________________________________________________________
Semester / Year_________________________ Research Advisor’s Name_________________________
REQUIRED:
 Ethics CORE Tutorial
https://nationalethicscenter.org/nsf-rcr-requirement
Mark additional RCR work completed:
Otterbein Environmental Health & Safety training modules found on O-zone
______________________________________________________________________________
Research Methods Course (course title/number/semester) ___________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Discipline specific training modules identified here
________________________________________________________________________
As the Advisor for (student) __________________________________, I approve this plan for meeting
RCR requirements. __________________________________________(Advisor’s signature)
(Student) ___________________________ agrees to complete the RCR requirements listed above.
(Student signature) ___________________________________________________________________
Once the requirements have been completed, student and advisor must confirm the student’s
satisfactory completion. If you will be paid for conducting research, this document must be completed
before you receive your first payment.
We confirm that the student has completed the RCR requirements.
_______________________________________________________Student
_______________________________________________________Advisor
Send a copy of this affidavit with original signatures to:
Office of Sponsored Programs
Towers Hall, Room 14
Otterbein University
614/823-1846
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