Code of Good Practice in Research and Research Integrity
As a research-led institution, the University of Glasgow is committed to providing an environment that ensures our research is conducted to the highest quality standards. Central to this commitment is the development of an environment that recognises and supports research excellence.
This code of good practice in research is intended for all staff, including persons with honorary positions, and students carrying out research at, or on behalf of, the University.
When embarking on a new research collaboration or taking on new staff or students (who may be lacking in experience in these areas) it is important to ensure that everyone has the same expectations for good research practice.
Code of Good Practice in Research (pdf)
Research integrity FAQs
Research integrity is about more than just gaining ethical approval for research. It takes into account the manner in which research projects or experiments are undertaken, how data is stored and results are reported, as well as issues relating to intellectual property, conflicts of interest and authorship.
Where can staff access training on data management and good research practice?
The Staff Development Service run courses on data management (delivered by the Digital Curation Centre) and on managing research collaborations.
Supervisor good practice workshops are run by each of the four Graduate Schools, including presentations on supporting students to develop good research practice. Supervisors are required to attend at least once every five years.
The annual research staff conference includes workshops on themes relating to good research practice (see previous presentations).
Online resources:
Where can students access training on data management and good research practice?
New research students will receive training in research integrity as part of their induction. PhD students should be involved at all stages of considering the ethical implications of their research. However, they are likely to lack experience in the rigorous design of research methodologies, consistent with expectations for good research practice. A key role of the supervisor is to ensure that researchers receive training and mentoring in good research conduct, data management, gaining ethical approval, reporting results, IP and co-authorship / attribution.
Online resources:
Where can I get further information on my Intellectual Property rights as a student?
The University’s Postgraduate Research Code of Practice andIntellectual Property & Commercialisation Policy (pdf) both contain useful information.
You can also speak to your supervisor or to Mel Anderson, the University’s Head of IP and Commercialisation.
What should I do if I have concerns about a colleague's research practice?
The University’s Code of Policy and Procedures for Investigating Allegations of Misconduct in Research (Dealing with allegations of research misconduct (pdf)) sets out the steps that you should take and who you should contact if you believe an act of research misconduct has occurred.
Any member of the University who believes that an act of research misconduct has occurred or is occurring should, in the first instance, attempt to address the issue informally with either the employee or student concerned or the appropriate Head of School or Research Institute Director.
In the event that the outcome of this approach is not satisfactory or if such an approach is believed to be inappropriate, a formal allegation should be made in the first instance to the Head of School or Research Institute Director, who will notify the Vice Principal (Research & Enterprise) and the relevant College Human Resources Manager (for staff) or Senate Office representative (for students) of the allegation as soon as possible.