Good Research Practices

1. Good Research Practices

2. The term has become ethically laden

3. Practicalities • Data management • Publishing decisions • Data interpretation • Personnel supervision • Fraud detection • Conflict of Interest management And on and on…

4. Rules for Notebooks • Permanent binding • Numbered pages • Paper of good quality • Permanent, light resistant ink, no pencil

5. Front Matter • Name, address, email, phone number on front cover • Notebook number on front cover if relevant • Table of Contents ( 2 pages) • Table of Abbreviations

6. Frances Richmond Sept 20,2004 Electronic records

7. You must not………. • Tear out pages • Erase or obliterate entries • Write on non-sequential pages • Leave pages empty

8. Changes to Entries Cross out with a single line, change below, then sign and date change Mass = 2.4 kg Mass = 2.4 kg 2.8 kg, F Richmond, Sept 20,2004

9. But I want to use an electronic notebook! • What are the problems? • How do we solve the problems?

10. Storing notebooks • Store working notebooks in a secure location • Archive old notebooks according to a system, usually for 20 years

11. Notebooks in a multiuser environment Avoid entries in multiple notebooks—a single project should preferably have a single book, and different contributors should sign and date contributions

12. Keeping Track of work… • Issue numbered notebooks to specific users who are responsible for the book • Issue guidance and training on the use of the book

13. Who owns “my” notebook? • Not you, unless you are working for free with your own space and materials • Generally your employer—be sure you understand who owns the book if you have more than one employer

14. So where and what do I write? No derogatory remarks! • Begin each experiment on a right-handed page • Write date unambiguously in upper corner • Title • Objective • Chemical equations • Required materials • Numbered steps for procedure • Record results and insights immediately—no detail too small!

15. When and who collects the data? • Date must be clear • Date must be attested • Signature of inventor/investigator • Signature of corroborating witness • Not a collaborator or individual with a conflict of interest • Someone who can and has read and understood the work • Someone who respects confidentiality Read and understood Frances Richmond September 2, 2004

16. Quality matters! • If the notebook is messy it will be discredited as a reliable source • If a book is too clean, it will be discredited as well! • If it contains mistakes, valuable time and resources may be squandered