Scientific Integrity


Aims

Like in any profession, scientists are routinely faced with integrity dilemmas: Can I exclude particular observations from my research? Can I leave out certain statistics from the analysis I report? Can I use the same data set, or “idea”, in multiple papers? Can I agree on a colleague being a co-author on a paper to which (s)he has not made a significant contribution?

This course aims to expose you to such integrity dilemmas, and to support you in developing and honing your own “moral compass”. We do this partly by discussing the context of the principles, values and rules such as they apply to the field of management research in general, and to our university and research institute in particular.

As such, the course serves as a foundation for other courses, in particular the various research methodology courses and the course on Publishing Strategy, during which you will discuss in more detailed terms the various dilemma’s you will be facing in your PhD studies and possible further academic career.

Information

The course consists of three sessions, built around three key elements:

•          Providing information:

  • “ERIM Values”; what attitudes and behaviours do we expect from ERIM PhD students and members,
  • Codes of Conduct, such as the Erasmus University Code of Conduct, and the code of the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU)

•          Experiencing dilemmas:

  • As part of a pre-programmed game/simulation, you experience important issues and dilemmas involved in questionable research practices. You will play the role of a PhD student who just started and runs into a number of problems and challenges, including a supervisor who is being accused of fraud. It’s your role to find out what really happened.
  • In an interactive setting, you will be discussing concrete integrity dilemma’s with your fellow students, in order to understand, develop and discuss arguments for choosing a course of action when facing integrity dilemma’s

•    Assignment – enhancing a culture of scientific integrity;

  • You will have a choice of an individual or team assignment to conduct a brief exploration and write an essay on selected topics within the general theme of “enhancing a culture of scientific integrity”.

 

Assessment

Assignment – enhancing a culture of scientific integrity;

You will have a choice of an individual or team assignment to conduct a brief exploration and write an essay on selected topics within the general theme of “enhancing a culture of scientific integrity”.

Materials

Selected readings will be made available prior to the start of the course.

Additional info

The timetable for this course can be found in the EUR course guide.

ERIM PhD candidates and Research Master students can register for this course via Osiris Student.

This course is not open to external (non-ERIM) participants.