Research Guides: Aresty Summer Science Program: Integrity

Integrity in Research

Integrity in the performance and documentation of a research project is an extremely important aspect of the research process. Conduct that is responsible and ethical is an expectation of Rutgers University, major government funding organizations, and professional academic societies.

As expressed in On Being a Scientist: A Guide to Responsible Conduct in Research, Third Edition (National Academy of Sciences, 2009, p.2):

"Researchers have an obligation to honor the trust that their colleagues place in them."
"Researchers have an obligation to themselves."
"Researchers have an obligation to act in ways that serve the public."

Student research projects are covered by Rutgers University policies on Academic Integrity and Research Misconduct.

More examples of conduct statements are listed here:

NSF Responsible Conduct of Research

NIH Research Integrity

National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine

Image Copyrights

The following has been copied from the RUL Finding Images Research Guide:

The re-use of images for educational purposes (not including print or electronic publication of any kind) is generally considered acceptable under the terms of fair use. If you wish to publish images online or in print, even if for educational purposes, you will first need to determine whether or not the image is protected by copyright, then find out how to get copyright clearance. The following link provides a comprehensive Fair Use Checklist which acts as a road map in determining the fair use of images.

Fair Use Checklist

The Checklist is licensed by a Creative Commons Attribution License with attribution to the original creators of the checklist Kenneth D. Crews (formerly of Columbia University) and Dwayne K. Buttler (University of Louisville).

Further information pertaining to Rutgers copyright policies can be obtained through the following link.

Rutgers University Copyright Page

Citing Your Sources

There are multiple citation styles you can use in your research paper (APA, MLA and Chicago/Turabian). APA style is used most often in the natural sciences and social sciences. To learn to format according to the ACS Style Guide frequently used in Chemistry, click here. Other disciplines may use other citation styles. Consult with your research advisor(s) to determine the appropriate style for your work.

Why cite? Appropriately acknowledging all contributions, ideas, data or works used in an academic work is required by the Rutgers University Academic Integrity Policy. For tips on avoiding plagiarism from the start, review "Don't Plagiarize! Document Your Research" available from the Rutgers University Libraries.

Need Citation Help? Rutgers University Libraries offer two citation management tools, free of charge: Refworks and Endnote.

Documentation and Data Management

Try the RUL Data Management guide for the best information.

Consult your research advisor about recordkeeping expectations. Good recordkeeping can include:

Being prepared to document all events related to your research.
Keeping all records (printouts, photos, graphs, etc) for as long as directed.
Writing legibly and clearly. Someone may need to check your work.
Accurately documenting tests or events as they happen.
Promptly documenting events as they occur.
Consistently recording events; Do the same thing every time as much as possible.
Documenting events and resources used completely.
Being truthful: Never make up data or observations. If something goes wrong, document it.