Shared Values and Rules of the Road
There is no one best way to undertake research. Of course, no universal method applies to all investigations.
There are, however, some important shared values for RCR that bind all researchers together. Hover over each of the cards below to learn how these values are important in research integrity, according to the ORI (Steneck, 2007; NIH, 2018).
Honesty
Accuracy
Efficiency
Objectivity
Rules of the Road
Institutional, organizational, societal, and personal expectations for the responsible conduct of research are complex and not always well defined. Let’s use an analogy to help understand the utility of RCR practices: take driving for example.
Responsible driving is clearly defined through laws and written down in driver’s manuals. Before individuals can drive, they are tested on both their knowledge of the rules of the road and their skills. Then, licensed drivers are constantly reminded of their responsibilities by street signs, traffic signals, and markings on the road. They also know that their behavior as drivers is monitored and that there are specific penalties for improper behavior. Without rules of the road and responsible driving practices, things inevitably get messy, like this picture below.
Without guidelines for RCR, the research process can feel just the same. However, just like the rules of the road guiding the traffic below, guidelines for RCR keep the research process running easily and smoothly.
As scientists, we have four basic sources of rules of the road that guide RCR. In other words, there are four places — some more concrete than others — to which researchers can turn for guidance on what constitutes RCR.
These four sources are:
- Professional Codes
- Government Regulations
- Institutional Policies
- Personal Convictions