RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH (RCR)

The information below addresses the NSF and NIH policies regarding the Responsible Conduct of Research, helpful links have also been included to provide additional information. A link to the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) website is offered along with the steps for creating an account.

National Science Foundation (NSF)

The responsible and ethical conduct of research (RCR) is critical for excellence, as well as public trust, in science and engineering. Consequently, education in RCR is considered essential in the preparation of future scientists and engineers.  Institutions are required to complete a certification that the institution has a plan to provide appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research to undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers who will be supported by NSF to conduct research.  More specifically:

  • An institution must have a plan in place to provide appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research to undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers who will be supported by NSF to conduct research.

  • While training plans are not required to be included in proposals submitted to NSF, institutions are advised that they are subject to review, upon request.

  • An institution must designate one or more persons to oversee compliance with the RCR training requirement.

  • Institutions are responsible for verifying that undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers supported by NSF to conduct research have received training in the responsible and ethical conduct of research.

NSF links on RCR: http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/rcr.jsp

NSF's Frequently Asked Questions on RCR:  http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=rcrfaq

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

The purposes of RCR training are to promote the responsible conduct of research, and to discourage research misconduct and questionable research practices, through education. All "research staff" in the NIH who have "direct and substantive involvement in proposing, performing, reviewing or reporting research, or who receive research training" will be participating in RCR instruction. That includes senior investigators, tenure-track investigators, staff scientists and clinicians, research and clinical fellows, pre- and postdoctoral trainees, technicians, research nurses, and special volunteers or guest researchers involved in these activities.

NIH links on RCR: http://sourcebook.od.nih.gov/resethicscases/cases-toc.htm

Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI)

The CITI Program is a subscription service providing research ethics education to all members of the BSU research community. If you are a new learner at BSU you must register to create your own username and password and gain access to this protected site.

CITI link: http://www.citiprogram.org 

  1. As a "new" user, you will need to click "Register Here" to register for the training course   

  2. Select "Bridgewater State University" from the Participating Institutions and click "submit"    

  3. Create a unique username and password and click "submit"                                                                  

  4. Enter your personal information and click "submit"                         

  5. Continue entering additional information and click "submit"  

  6. You should now be able to access the training courses menu                          

Please note that there are several different types of courses available on the CITI Training website, so please make sure you select "Responsible Conduct of Research"

Completion records of personnel involved in the research must be maintained by the Principal Investigator. Completion certificates are good for a period of 3 years, after which a brief refresher module is required to update your certification. 

Last Modified: April 4, 2011