Responsible Conduct of Research

Responsible conduct of research (RCR) is defined as engaging in scientific inquiry with integrity which includes being aware of and applying established professional norms and ethics when engaging in all research related activities. Numerous federal agencies, such as the National Institute of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and American Psychological Association (APA) define the responsible conduct of research through nine areas:

1. Collaborative Science 2. Conflicts of Interest/Commitments 3. Data Acquisition, Management, Sharing, and Ownership 4. Human Research Protections 5. Lab Animal Welfare 6. Mentoring 7. Peer Review 8. Publication Practices and Responsible Authorship 9. Research Misconduct

For more information, view the Office of Research Integrity's Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research.