Open Science & 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
• 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:
- 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 write an individual assignment where you analyze a case of scientific misconduct and provide recommendations to avoid such misconduct. Evaluate whether and how (some of) the open science practices discussed during the course could help prevent misconduct by increasing transparency in the research process. Subsequently, in a team assignment, you will interview an ERIM staff member and conduct a brief exploration of a selected topic within the general theme of “enhancing a culture of scientific integrity”.
Assessment
Pass/fail based on attendance and assignments (see Course Contents).
Materials
Selected readings will be made available prior to the start of the course.
Additional info
The timetable for this course can be found here.
ERIM PhD candidates can register for this course via Osiris Student.
This course is not open for participation by external (non-ERIM) participants.
