Research integrity is a central, fundamental objective for UiO. Research integrity can be summarised as reliability, honesty, respect and accountability, and it concerns how “A basic responsibility of the research community is to formulate the principles of research, to define the criteria for proper research behaviour, to maximise the quality and robustness of research, and to respond adequately to threats to, or violations of, research integrity.”(ALLEA)
Research integrity generally refers to the internal norms of research, and constitutes a key aspect of research ethics. Research ethics also include external norms. These protect research participants through consent, protection of personal information, risk assessments, etc., and ensure that the research makes a positive contribution to society and welfare.
The University of Oslo has established a Standard for Research Integrity to clarify which sets of norms for research integrity are relevant for the university and its employees’ activities. In overall terms, the standard expresses what constitutes behaving with integrity within research. This standard must be made generally known, form the basis for training and be adhered to in the planning, performance and completion of research.
On the basis of the standard, the following recommendations are made:
- Researchers have the right to choose the subject and method for their research. The researcher and the university must protect the freedom and independence of research.
- Academic freedom is conditional on the integrity of research. The researcher and the university must ensure that the norm of truth is pursued in all research.
- All research must adhere to good citation practice.?Training in this is a necessary precondition to avoid all forms of plagiarism.
- Researchers must assess and disclose conflicts of interest.
- The Vancouver criteria stipulate the minimum standard for eligible academic authorship for all subject areas.
- Researchers have the right to publish their results and must ensure that such publication takes place. The relevant research basis must be made available in accordance with good practice in the subject area concerned.
- Research leaders and supervisors must do their best to create and establish a culture of research integrity and compliance, and be aware of asymmetry in power and position.
- All research must be assessed on the basis of scientific quality, and not only according to quantitative measures.
- In the case of research that involves collaboration across disciplines, institutions or countries, cooperation agreements should be entered into that also regulate questions of research integrity.
See also:
Standard for Research Integrity at UiO (full text pdf)