Code of Practice for Research: Promoting good practice and preventing misconduct

The Code of Practice for Research has been produced as part of our core function to promote good practice in the governance, management and general conduct of research in universities, NHS organisations and the private sector. UKRIO is committed to promoting good conduct in research by providing the research community with practical guidance on the issues which need to be addressed and facilitating the sharing of existing good practice.

The Code is applicable to all subject areas and does not attempt to micro-manage research. It covers areas of good practice typically included in organisational policies for the conduct of research, drawing upon existing good practice and the experiences of UKRIO in addressing good conduct and misconduct in research. Particular attention has been given to areas where UKRIO has most often been approached for guidance, in the hope of passing on lessons learned to the research community.

Revised following a public consultation earlier this year, the Code provides general principles and standards for good practice in research, applicable to both researchers and research organisations. It also includes a one-page Recommended Checklist for Researchers: a non-technical checklist summarising the key points of good practice in research, based upon the more detailed standards provided in the Code.

We appreciate that there are many sources of guidance on the conduct of research. Our intent is that research organisations can use the principles and standards outlined as benchmarks when drafting or revising their own, more detailed, codes of practice. Use of the benchmarks contained in the Code can assist research organisations in fulfilling the requirements of regulatory, funding and other relevant bodies and ensure that important issues have not been overlooked.

In short, the Code is a reference tool that complements existing and forthcoming guidance on research conduct, such as that provided by Research Councils UK, the Wellcome Trust and the Council for Science and Technology, and does not seek to replace them.

Publication of UKRIO's Code of Practice for Research: Promoting good practice and preventing misconduct

UKRIO today launches its Code of Practice for Research: Promoting good practice and preventing misconduct.

The Code addresses long-standing concerns in the research community about research misconduct and questionable practices. The UK has a world-class reputation for conducting exceptional and innovative research and for producing researchers of the highest calibre.

UKRIO has now produced the Code of Practice for Research, a reference tool to support researchers and research organisations in the conduct of research of the highest quality. The Code can help research organisations ensure that important issues have not been overlooked and applies to all types of research.

Drawing upon UKRIO's experiences in addressing good conduct and misconduct in research, the Code provides principles and standards for researchers and research organisations and also includes a Recommended Checklist for Researchers: a one-page, non-technical checklist for the key points of good practice in research, based on the more detailed standards provided by the Code.

Professor Sir Ian Kennedy, Chair of the Board of UKRIO said: "UKRIO is increasingly providing support to universities and NHS Trusts who recognise that research misconduct and questionable practices can tarnish the UK's well-earned reputation as a centre of excellence in research. The Code is a vital part of our continuing work to encourage good conduct in research and to help to prevent misconduct, setting out the responsibilities and values critical to research, as well as providing practical guidance for researchers and their employers."

Professor Dame Sally C. Davies, Director-General of Research and Development at the Department of Health said: "I am delighted to see the UK Research Integrity Office continuing to deliver tools that enable researchers and their employers to maintain this country's international reputation in research and innovation. We rely on excellent, sound research to improve health and healthcare for patients and their families."

Individuals and organisations who would like to receive a hard copy of the Code should contact UKRIO.

The Code and a separate version of the Recommended Checklist are also available as PDFs:

UKRIO Code of Practice for Research: Promoting good practice and preventing misconduct (567KB)

Recommended Checklist for Researchers (25KB)

Press release: UKRIO Code of Practice for Research press release 01 10 09.pdf

UKRIO welcomes feedback on the Code. A web-based version of the Code, including a mechanism for the research community to submit feedback on specific sections and suggest new developments in good practice in research for inclusion, will be published on this site shortly.

Summary analysis of the consultation on UKRIO's draft Code of Practice for Research

Earlier this year, we consulted the research community on a draft version of the Code of Practice for Research. Over one hundred submissions were received, the vast majority of which were positive. We appreciate that the respondents considered the questions that we had asked, and wider issues of good practice in research, so thoroughly.

The Code has now been revised following the valuable feedback given during the consultation. Particular attention has been paid to those areas of the Code which were considered by some to be unclear or excessively prescriptive.

Professor Sir Ian Kennedy, the Chair of UKRIO, wrote to respondents on 27th July to thank them for their very helpful comments and inform them of UKRIO's response. A copy of the letter is available here.

A summary of the analysis of the responses to the consultation to UKRIO's draft Code of Practice for Research is available here.

UKRIO would like to thank the individuals and organisations who participated in the consultation for their contribution to the development of the Code.