Don’t Lie, Cheat or Steal!

1. Research MisconductThis workshop is part of the Responsible Conduct of Research SeriesA certificate is given for the completion of this workshop(see WSU Policy 2101 for Details on Misconduct)

2. Don’t Lie, Cheat or Steal! • However, it can be much more complicated than that. There are other legal and media issues that can get in the way. • If you are a researcher then you must act ethically. • If you see someone else acting irresponsibly, then you must do something about. That means telling the Research Integrity Officer (me) and no one else. • There are huge pressures on people to cheat and cut corners.

3. I. Covered/Not Covered Principles • IA. Covered Principles • 1. Ethical Research Conduct: • Honest and truthful data gathering and recording in theoretical and bench research with appropriate credit given to sources and collaborators • 2. Research Misconduct: • Deliberate self-serving act of distortion of the truth by any institutional member of the University (officials, tenured, untenured and adjunct faculty, students, graduate assistants, technicians), thus harming the process in IA/1. • Specifically: Fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research results. • IB. Not Covered Principles • Sexual harassment (see Wright Way Policy § 4001.21) • Misappropriations of funds (Section 2921.41, Ohio Revised Code) • Failure of compliance with policies governing human subjects/lab animals • Failure to comply with guidelines/conditions of external sponsors or university

4. Let’s talk about the Categories of Misconduct • What is Fabrication? Good Record Keeping can help! • What is Falsification? Don’t cherry pick data! • What is Plagiarism? Good referencing techniques can help. Computer programs now exist that look for plagiarism.

5. What are some of the nuances? • Jurisdiction counts. • The RIO acts as an investigator and goes through procedures much like the FBI. • There is an Office of Research Integrity. They really act like the FBI, but they also educate. Their website is: http://ori.hhs.gov/ • To make an allegation, you do not have to put it in writing. Tell the RIO. • Is sloppy work misconduct? • The fight for First Authorship is not Research Misconduct. The fight for authorship is. • It has to be Research not a class exercise.

6. II. Definitions of Players • II.1. Complainant, any member (or non-member) of the academic community, including students and technical personnel making an allegation, true or false, of research misconduct against • II.2. Respondent, any institutional member of the University (officials, tenured, untenured and adjunct faculty, students, graduate assistants, technicians), accused by Complainant of deeds listed in I.A.2. • II.3. Research Integrity Officer (RIO) [at WSU VP for Research]. • Receives the allegation from II.1. about I.A.2 • Is guarantor of confidentiality of matters between II.1. and II.2. • Initiates Assessment Phase, and then, if necessary, Inquiry Phase by naming Inquiry Committee (InqC) • If necessary, opens Investigative Phase by naming Investigative Committee (InvC) • Takes administrative actions as a result of InvC vote • Informs DO [see II.4] who reports results of InvC to sponsor if required • Protects Complainant and restores reputation of Respondent if not guilty of research misconduct

7. II. Definitions of Players (continued) • II.4. Deciding Officer (DO) [at WSU Provost] • Is consulted by theRIO at various points in the process • Communicates final decisions to Respondent and Complainant; notifies sponsor(s) if required • Initiates administrative actions against Respondent if found guilty. These actions affect the position of the Respondent in the institution and may terminate external support. • II.5. Inquiry Committee (InqC) • Is composed ofan uneven number (at least 3) of members of the academic community • Receives charge from the RIO; purpose is to determine if an Investigation is warranted • Reviews all records, interviews the Complainant, Respondent, key witnesses • Makes final recommendation to the RIO by majority vote • Inquiry must be completed within 60 days

8. II. Definitions of Players (continued) • II.6. Investigative Committee (InvC) • Composed ofan uneven number (at least 5) of members of the academic community, including a veteran technical expert, a faculty familiar with the field of allegation and, depending on the case, a student. • Receives charge from the RIO and deals with charge; primary purpose is to develop a factual record by exploring the allegations in detail and examining the evidence in depth, leading to recommended findings on whether research misconduct has been committed, by whom, and to what extent • Reviews all records; interviews the Complainant, Respondent, key Witnesses • Makes final recommendation to the RIO by majority vote • Investigation must begin within 30 days of DO’s decision that an investigation is warranted, and be completed within 120 days

9. III. Phases of Process III. 1.Assessment Phase §2101.6.a. Determination by RIO, with concurrence of DO, whether an an allegation of research misconduct meets criteria for being covered by this policy; proceed to Inquiry Phase, if it does III.2. Inquiry Phase §2101.6.ab. - 2101.7.c. Preliminary fact finding to determine whether an Investigation is warranted; involves the RIO, DO, and Inquiry Committee III.3. Investigation Phase §2101.8.- §2101.9. RIO sequesters records (if needed), notifies Respondent, appoints and charges an Investigation Committee; the Investigation Committee conducts interviews that are transcribed, pursues all leads, and prepares a draft report for the RIO; the RIO sends report to Respondent with request for comments, and submits, with Respondent comments, final report to DO III.4. Outcomes. DO takes actions as specified in II.4. leading to either restoration of Respondent’s integrity, or administrative actions against Respondent including personnel actions and termination of research support by external funding agencies; protects Complainant against retributions.

10. What Else Can Happen? • University conducts its processes. • Agency can launch its own investigation. • Either party can go to court. • The news media may come in and report the incident.

11. IV. Flow Chart of Phases and Actions A. Assessment Phase (1 week) Respondent: WSU institutional member Complainant (WSU status or independent) Allegation of misconduct Research Integrity Officer (RIO) VP for Research Conducts Assessment Phase (1 week): Does complaint fall within scope of policy? If yes, notify DO 1 2 Deciding Officer (DO) Provost Concurs with RIO 3 Proceed if warranted to B. Inquiry Phase

12. B. Inquiry Phase (total time: 60 days) Research Integrity Officer (RIO) Sequesters records if necessary Notifies respondent Appoints & charges InqC Inquiry Committee (InqC) Fact finding; interviews complainant, respondent, witnesses Votes and forwards report to RIO 4 5 Research Integrity Officer (RIO) Gives respondent opportunity to comment on/appeal report Submits, with respondent’s comments, final report to DO 6 Deciding Officer (DO) Determines whether an investigation is warranted 7 8 Proceed if warranted to C. Investigation Phase

13. C. Investigation Phase (total time: 120 days) Research Integrity Officer (RIO) Sequesters records (if not done yet) Notifies respondent (no later than 15 days after start of investigation) Appoints & charges InvC Investigation Committee: InvC Fact finding; interviews complainant, respondent, witnesses Votes and forwards report to RIO 8 9 Deciding Officer (DO) Determines appropriate actions Notifies respondent, complainant, others. Research Integrity Officer (RIO) Gives respondent opportunity to comment on/appeal report (30 days) Submits, with respondent’s comments, final report to DO 10

14. The Plagiarism Case at Ohio University • Student reported plagiarism by successive waves of students in a lab run by a distinguished professor and an untenured professor. • The Dean launched his own investigation. • The Provost launched an investigation. • NSF inspector general became interested. • One untenured professor was let go. • Five years later the professor is still fighting the charges. • Universities can’t ignore their policies. • It became a major embarrassment for Ohio U.

15. The Plagiarism Case at Oklahoma State • A regents professor copied the work of others for 20 years. • He was a cultural geographer and the field was small and somewhat obscure. • A computer program that looks for plagiarized passages found him out. • He was forced into an early retirement.

16. Keep a Good Lab Notebook • Write up each experiment as if it were a research paper. • Be clear on the methods used. • Show all the results as they were obtained. • Summarize your ideas. • Sign and date each page. • Get someone to sign off weekly as a witness. • The data belongs to the university not you or your professor. You can take a copy with you, but clear it with your professor. • Data management plans are now a federal requirement. This includes primary data storage.