GSH APPENDIX C - Research Standards and Scholarly Conduct

GSH APPENDIX C - Research Standards and Scholarly Conduct

Research Standards and Scholarly Conduct - C.1

Graduate students and Graduate Faculty aspire to professional behavior that is consistent with the highest ethical and moral standards. The Graduate School at The Ohio State University expects that graduate students will demonstrate responsibility and integrity in pursuing their creative and scholarly interests. The academic enterprise is dependent upon such behavior. Graduate students are responsible for learning about appropriate standards for ethical research and scholarly conduct and for following all university policies related to ethical research and scholarly conduct. 

When graduate students join the Ohio State community, they become members of disciplinary, scholarly, and professional communities that extend beyond the university. Graduate students are expected to learn, respect, and abide by the professional codes of ethics and responsibilities that are commonly accepted in their field of study or area of research. These codes include but are not limited to the following: a responsibility to contribute an original body of work to one’s chosen discipline and the recognition that one’s work is based on the work of others which must be respected and properly acknowledged. Graduate students also have the responsibility to treat university faculty, staff, and other students respectfully and professionally. 

Graduate Faculty, advisors, and graduate programs should actively encourage their students to participate as members of their chosen disciplinary, scholarly, and professional communities. Graduate students should be encouraged to seek and share knowledge wherever and whenever possible. Academic advisors and other faculty members should educate graduate students through example and discussion, addressing such issues as academic honesty, research, publication, recruitment, and hiring practices, and applicable fellowship and graduate associateship responsibilities. Disciplinary codes of ethics and norms should be discussed among graduate students and faculty. Such communication is a means of setting high standards of behavior in graduate study and beyond. 

Investigation of Allegations of Research Conduct by a Graduate Student - C.2

The process used to review allegations of research misconduct by graduate students is detailed in the document “Research Misconduct Policy.” 

Allegations of research misconduct must be referred to the Office of Research Compliance (ORC). If it is determined by the Research Integrity Officer (RIO) in consultation with the Dean of the graduate student’s college that an allegation of research misconduct warrants an inquiry, an inquiry will be conducted by the RIO and staff in ORC, in consultation with the appropriate subject matter expert(s) from the research integrity standing committee (RISC), as needed. RISC members conduct inquiries and investigations to ensure that the University’s policy and procedure for dealing with research misconduct are consistent with federal regulations and emerging best practices. The RISC is composed of a pool of 20-30 senior University faculty members from a variety of disciplines. Members serve a three-year term, and at least three represent the interests of the Graduate School. 

If the final decision from the inquiry is that an investigation is warranted, the RIO, in consultation with the Deciding Official and relevant college dean(s), will form an investigation committee with a minimum of three (3) voting members selected from the RISC. 

When the Graduate School receives notice that a graduate student was found to have engaged in research misconduct, the case is referred to the Committee on Academic Misconduct for review of recommended corrective actions and determination of sanctions under its case adjudication process, as outlined in the Code of Student Conduct.