Research ethics and good research practice
What is good research practice?
Good research practice rests on some fundamental principles: that one can be assured that research is of high quality; that research is conducted and reported in a truthful way and with respect to important societal values; and that researchers take responsibility for their research and its consequences.
When serious deviations from good research practice occurs, the research can be reported as fraudulent, which at the University is defined in brief as falsifying, misrepresenting or plagiarising research. The researcher also might not have the necessary permits to conduct research or might specify someone as an author (participant in the research) who is not entitled to this.
Uppsala University places great emphasis on awareness of research ethics and compliance with good research practice. Society, the public and businesses need reliable scientific results, and it is important that the public has confidence in research. To this end, it is self-evident that every researcher should ensure that irreproachable procedures are followed.
The Swedish Higher Education Act stipulates that in “higher education institutions shall uphold academic credibility and good research practice”. A university or a university college that is informed about suspected deviations from good research practice has an obligation to handle the suspicions, and to send the case to Nämnden för prövning av oredlighet i forskning when it concerns possible misconduct in research.
Those employed at the University can watch following lectures:
Lecture on a work environment that furthers research and learning
Lecturers: Åsa Kettis, Uppsala University, Sven Hemlin, Göteborg University
Irene Jensen, Karolinska Institutet, Kirsi Höglund, Uppsala University
Carl Anderson Kronlid, Uppsala University
Lecture by Anna Dreber Almenberg and Åsa Wikforss about good research practice
Watch the lecture on false and reliable research: What should researchers do? This seminar addresses questions on reproducibility and how to promote good and true research. It asks why
research sometimes produces false results and what place ideology has in science.
Key are the notions of truth and falsehood, knowledge and responsibility.
Lecture by Stefan Eriksson
Lecture on predatory journals. What signifies them and how do we defeat them? In a presentation, first given in the spring seminar organized by the Doctoral Board, Junior Faculty and the University Library, Stefan Eriksson (advisor to the Vice Chancellor on good research practice) gives an overview of these issues. (Log in with your University login.)
Lecture by Ellen-Marie Forsberg
How do we promote research integrity in institutions? How is integrity manifested in everyday research and what are the conditions for successful integrity work? Watch the lecture Working with research integrity by Ellen-Marie Forsberg, Managing Director of the contract research institute Østfoldforskning. (Log in with your University login.)
Lecture by Professor John Ioannidis
Lecture on research ethics by Professor John Ioannidis. The lecture, which he delivered during his visit to Uppsala University on 24 October 2018, is titled “How about good research practices?” (Log in with your University login.)
