Avoiding Questionable Research Practices
In this activity you are presented with a handful of scenarios that are relatively common occurrences in the research and scholarly world and that individuals entering this world should be aware of to avoid developing questionable research practices.
Select your answer then click the "Check answer" button to see if you're correct.
Sheila, a graduate student, presents very promising preliminary results at a conference that requires that only unpublished results be presented. Three months later, while waiting for news from the journal to which Sheila and her mentor, Sean, submitted their work for publication, Sean receives an article for review from another journal reporting results almost identical to theirs. They realize the author was present at the conference. What recourse, if any, do Sheila and Sean have to claim their intellectual property?
This is the incorrect answer. Given the short time elapsed since the conference, it is likely that the other author was already working on the same idea. His questionable practice was not informing Sheila during the conference that he was independently working on the same project. The correct procedure, however, is for Sean to contact the two journal editors, who should in turn contact the other author. In such cases, journals typically publish the two articles simultaneously with a note indicating the simultaneous and independent nature of the discovery by both research groups.
This is the incorrect answer. Given the short time elapsed since the conference, it is likely that the other author was already working on the same idea. His questionable practice was not informing Sheila during the conference that he was independently working on the same project. The correct procedure, however, is for Sean to contact the two journal editors, who should in turn contact the other author. In such cases, journals typically publish the two articles simultaneously with a note indicating the simultaneous and independent nature of the discovery by both research groups.
Correct! Given the short time elapsed since the conference, it is likely that the other author was already working on the same idea. His questionable practice was not informing Sheila during the conference that he was independently working on the same project. The correct procedure, however, is for Sean to contact the two journal editors, who should in turn contact the other author. In such cases, journals typically publish the two articles simultaneously with a note indicating the simultaneous and independent nature of the discovery by both research groups.
This is the incorrect answer. Given the short time elapsed since the conference, it is likely that the other author was already working on the same idea. His questionable practice was not informing Sheila during the conference that he was independently working on the same project. The correct procedure, however, is for Sean to contact the two journal editors, who should in turn contact the other author. In such cases, journals typically publish the two articles simultaneously with a note indicating the simultaneous and independent nature of the discovery by both research groups.
This is the incorrect answer. Given the short time elapsed since the conference, it is likely that the other author was already working on the same idea. His questionable practice was not informing Sheila during the conference that he was independently working on the same project. The correct procedure, however, is for Sean to contact the two journal editors, who should in turn contact the other author. In such cases, journals typically publish the two articles simultaneously with a note indicating the simultaneous and independent nature of the discovery by both research groups.
Vishnu received notice that an article he submitted for publication in a prominent journal has been accepted with major editorial (language) revisions. Vishnu asks for help from his colleague, Lana, who knows the field. Lana edits the article, and Vishnu would like to compensate her for her help. What can Vishnu offer?
This is the incorrect answer. Journals offer guidelines as to what constitutes a significant contribution to a study, and honorary co-authorship is not one of them. Think about what would happen if a reader of the journal asked Lana to explain her results. Giving a written acknowledgment and/or paying someone to edit your writing is acceptable.
This is the incorrect answer. Journals offer guidelines as to what constitutes a significant contribution to a study, and honorary co-authorship is not one of them. Think about what would happen if a reader of the journal asked Lana to explain her results. Giving a written acknowledgment and/or paying someone to edit your writing is acceptable.
This is the incorrect answer. Journals offer guidelines as to what constitutes a significant contribution to a study, and honorary co-authorship is not one of them. Think about what would happen if a reader of the journal asked Lana to explain her results. Giving a written acknowledgment and/or paying someone to edit your writing is acceptable.
This is the incorrect answer. Journals offer guidelines as to what constitutes a significant contribution to a study, and honorary co-authorship is not one of them. Think about what would happen if a reader of the journal asked Lana to explain her results. Giving a written acknowledgment and/or paying someone to edit your writing is acceptable.
Correct! Journals offer guidelines as to what constitutes a significant contribution to a study, and honorary co-authorship is not one of them. Think about what would happen if a reader of the journal asked Lana to explain her results. Giving a written acknowledgment and/or paying someone to edit your writing is acceptable.
You are an undergraduate researcher using the research notebook of a former graduate student to learn the techniques and reproduce/validate already published results. In the process you discover a calculation error that would change some of those results. The best course of action is:
This is the incorrect answer. The correct approach is to inform the professor who is directing the work, who should in turn contact the journal editor to arrange for the submission of a correction. Since you are not a co-author, you are not supposed to contact the editor. If the recalculated results substantially change the conclusion of the article, the editor may require that the professor submits a retraction request. There is no penalty for honest errors.
Correct! The correct approach is to inform the professor who is directing the work, who should in turn contact the journal editor to arrange for the submission of a correction. Since you are not a co-author, you are not supposed to contact the editor. If the recalculated results substantially change the conclusion of the article, the editor may require that the professor submits a retraction request. There is no penalty for honest errors.
This is the incorrect answer. The correct approach is to inform the professor who is directing the work, who should in turn contact the journal editor to arrange for the submission of a correction. Since you are not a co-author, you are not supposed to contact the editor. If the recalculated results substantially change the conclusion of the article, the editor may require that the professor submits a retraction request. There is no penalty for honest errors.
This is the incorrect answer. The correct approach is to inform the professor who is directing the work, who should in turn contact the journal editor to arrange for the submission of a correction. Since you are not a co-author, you are not supposed to contact the editor. If the recalculated results substantially change the conclusion of the article, the editor may require that the professor submits a retraction request. There is no penalty for honest errors.
This is the incorrect answer. The correct approach is to inform the professor who is directing the work, who should in turn contact the journal editor to arrange for the submission of a correction. Since you are not a co-author, you are not supposed to contact the editor. If the recalculated results substantially change the conclusion of the article, the editor may require that the professor submits a retraction request. There is no penalty for honest errors.
Miriam, a professor, submits a proposal for funding to a federal agency in which she includes a good amount of preliminary results, but it is declined. Based on the writing style, she suspects that one of the reviewers is someone whose work she knows well, because he is a competitor, working in the same field as hers. She decides to complete the study without funding. When she is getting close to writing a manuscript 18 months later, she reads a very recent article with her exact hypothesis and experimental design published by the individual she suspected was a reviewer of the proposal. What can she do?
This is the incorrect answer. Funding agencies prohibit peer reviewers from using information contained in a proposal for their benefit or the benefit of another individual or organization. Reviewers sign a confidentiality certification before gaining access to proposals. In the present case Miriam's best course of action is to contact the federal agency, which may launch an investigation into the case.
This is the incorrect answer. Funding agencies prohibit peer reviewers from using information contained in a proposal for their benefit or the benefit of another individual or organization. Reviewers sign a confidentiality certification before gaining access to proposals. In the present case Miriam's best course of action is to contact the federal agency, which may launch an investigation into the case.
Correct! Funding agencies prohibit peer reviewers from using information contained in a proposal for their benefit or the benefit of another individual or organization. Reviewers sign a confidentiality certification before gaining access to proposals. In the present case Miriam's best course of action is to contact the federal agency, which may launch an investigation into the case.
This is the incorrect answer. Funding agencies prohibit peer reviewers from using information contained in a proposal for their benefit or the benefit of another individual or organization. Reviewers sign a confidentiality certification before gaining access to proposals. In the present case Miriam's best course of action is to contact the federal agency, which may launch an investigation into the case.
This is the incorrect answer. Funding agencies prohibit peer reviewers from using information contained in a proposal for their benefit or the benefit of another individual or organization. Reviewers sign a confidentiality certification before gaining access to proposals. In the present case Miriam's best course of action is to contact the federal agency, which may launch an investigation into the case.
Thomas is a staff assistant in the admissions office at a university. A scholarship program manager on campus needs admissions information for over 200 students who are applying for a particular scholarship and reaches out to Thomas for the information. The information contains students' names, IDs, social security numbers, grades, and other personal and educational information. Thomas prepares a spreadsheet and sends it to the scholarship manager via his university email without encrypting it with password protection. What are the possible consequences of such neglect?
This is the incorrect answer. It is the responsibility of anyone who handles data containing sensitive information to ensure its protection. When the information must be sent via email, it is imperative to code or encrypt the data. All individuals who handle sensitive data are trained at institutions and organizations on how to share data electronically, and those who jeopardize data security face disciplinary consequences.
This is the incorrect answer. It is the responsibility of anyone who handles data containing sensitive information to ensure its protection. When the information must be sent via email, it is imperative to code or encrypt the data. All individuals who handle sensitive data are trained at institutions and organizations on how to share data electronically, and those who jeopardize data security face disciplinary consequences.
This is the incorrect answer. It is the responsibility of anyone who handles data containing sensitive information to ensure its protection. When the information must be sent via email, it is imperative to code or encrypt the data. All individuals who handle sensitive data are trained at institutions and organizations on how to share data electronically, and those who jeopardize data security face disciplinary consequences.
This is the incorrect answer. It is the responsibility of anyone who handles data containing sensitive information to ensure its protection. When the information must be sent via email, it is imperative to code or encrypt the data. All individuals who handle sensitive data are trained at institutions and organizations on how to share data electronically, and those who jeopardize data security face disciplinary consequences.
Correct! It is the responsibility of anyone who handles data containing sensitive information to ensure its protection. When the information must be sent via email, it is imperative to code or encrypt the data. All individuals who handle sensitive data are trained at institutions and organizations on how to share data electronically, and those who jeopardize data security face disciplinary consequences.
The body of knowledge accumulated by humankind is the result of an honest and accurate representation of the work of researchers and scholars. Ethical behavior in research and scholarly work advances disciplinary knowledge and results in multiple benefits to society.
The principles behind research integrity are so universal that they can be applied to the multiple decisions we make at home, in the workplace, and as citizens.