Responsible Conduct of Research and Research Misconduct

Faculty, staff, post doctoral fellows and students of East Carolina University have the responsibility to seek honestly and to promulgate ethically the truth in all phases of their work. This responsibility governs not only the production and dissemination of research and creative activities, but also applications for funding, reports to funding agencies, and teaching and publication of teaching materials. It also applies to the professional relationships among faculty, post doctoral fellows and students.

University Policy

The ECU Policy and Procedures on Ethics in Research and Creative Activities outlines the major elements of responsible research conduct, the procedures to be followed to report possible breaches of these ethical principles, and the procedures to be followed to investigate the possible breaches. Briefly,

1. If you suspect a possible breach, the first step is to examine the ECU Policy and follow its guidance.

2. You should next contact your department head, or the next higher supervisor, if the department head is involved in the problem, describe the issue and provide substantiating documentation.

3.  The department head or next higher supervisor has the initial responsibility to determine whether the problem has any substantiation and needs to be referred to higher authority for action.

4.  You  and your department head may also seek guidance from the Director, Research Compliance Administration, John Chinn, Tel# 328-9473.