Oxford Brookes University expects the highest standards in the conduct of all research undertaken by its staff, students and visitors. The University’s policies aim to ensure others have confidence and trust in the methods and the findings of the research. This relates both to the academic rigour of the research and to the professional integrity of researchers.
Research integrity
Central to this are the key values of:
- Honesty in all aspects of research including gathering data, reporting findings and acknowledging the work of others.
- Rigour in using appropriate research methods in line with prevailing disciplinary norms and standards, adhering to an agreed protocol, drawing interpretations from the research and communicating the results.
- Transparency and open communication in declaring potential competing interests, the analysis and interpretation of data and making research findings widely available.
- Care and respect for all research subjects, users and beneficiaries; including humans, animals, the environment and cultural objects. Those engaged with research must also show care and respect for the integrity of the research record.
- Accountability of funders, employers and researchers to collectively create a positive and inclusive research environment.
Research Integrity Codes of Practice & Governance
- Code of Practice for Academic Integrity, including Procedures for Investigating Allegations of Misconduct in Research (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- The Concordat to Support Research Integrity (Source: Universities UK)
- UK Committee on Research Integrity (Source: UKRI)
- The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (Source: ALLEA)
- Vitae Researcher Development Framework (2011) – Domain C - “Research Governance and Organisation” (Source: Vitae)
- UK Research Integrity Office (Source: UKRIO)
- European Network of Research Integrity Offices (Source: ENRIO)
- Responsible Conduct of Research (Source: Tri-Agency Framework, Canada)
- UK Reproducibility Network (Source: UKRN)
- Research Integrity: A Landscape Study (Source: Vitae)
Authorship
- Good Practice in Research: Authorship (Source: UKRIO)
- Authorship – Quick Tips (Source: Vitae)
- Criteria for Attribution and Co-authorship in Research (Source: Vitae)
- Defining Authorship (Source: Taylor & Francis)
- Ethics for Authors (Source: Taylor & Francis)
- Agreeing on Authorship (Source: Finnish National Board on Research Integrity -TENK)
Codes of Conduct
- Oxford Brookes University Code of Conduct for Staff (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- Regulations for Study - Students (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
Communications
- Social media guidelines (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- News & media relations (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
Conflict of Interest
- OBU Conflict of Interest Policy (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
Data Management
- Oxford Brookes Research Data Management Policy
- Research Data Management (data planning, publishing and archiving data, working with research data and online training) (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- Information Security (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- Complete guide to GDPR compliance (Source: GDPR.EU)
Ethics
- OBU Code of Practice for Research Ethics for Research Involving Human Participants (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- Research Ethics – Review, Forms & Policies (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- Guidelines on the Observation, Handling and Care of Animals in Field Research (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- University Policy for Safeguarding of Children & Adults at Risk (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- Good Clinical Practice at OBU - Dr Johnny Collett runs training on Good Clinical Practice (non-CTIMP) at OBU 3 to 4 times a year, which is available to research students and staff. To register your interest in attending GCP training please e-mail: jcollett@brookes.ac.uk.
- Research Passports for non-clinical researchers working within the NHS (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- Handling of DBS certificate information (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- DBS clearance for prospective research students (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- NHS Research Ethics Service (Source: HRA)
- Good Clinical Practice (Source: NIHR)
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) (Source: GOV.uk)
(for advice on DBS clearance please contact your Faculty in the first instance)
Finance
- OBU Financial Regulations (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- Post Award Handbook (managing grants) (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
Health & Safety
- OBU Health & Safety Policy (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- Health & Safety Notices (includes accident reporting, fieldwork, working alone, risk assessment and working overseas) (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- Health and Safety Office (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
Intellectual Property
- OBU Intellectual Property Policy & Regulations (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- Intellectual Property Office (Source: GOV.UK)
Open Access
- OBU Position on Open Access (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- Open Access Publishing & Research (Source: Oxford Brookes University Library)
- Open Research & Open Researchers (Source: Vitae)
- Vitae and Taylor & Francis 15 min podcast on Making Your Research Open” (Source: Taylor & Francis)
Open Data
- Research And Digital Assets Repository (RADAR) (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- Concordat on Open Research Data (Source: UKRI)
Open Methods
- Oxford Brookes Position Statement on Research Transparency (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- Registered Reports (Source: Centre for Open Science)
- Registered Reports: what are they and why are they important? (Source: Royal Society)
Peer Review
- Free online course – Focus on Peer Review (Source: Nature Masterclasses)
- Understanding Peer Review (Source: Taylor & Francis)
- What is Peer Review? (Source: Elsevier)
- Committee on Publication Ethics (Source: COPE)
Referencing and Plagiarism
- Citing References in your Work and Avoiding Plagiarism (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
Responsible Metrics
- Responsible Metrics help sheet (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- OBU Responsible Metrics position statement (Source: Oxford Brookes University)
- San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - Resources (Source: DORA)
- Leiden Manifesto for Research Metrics (Source: Leiden University et al)
- The Metric Tide: Review of Metrics in Research Assessment (Source: UKRI)
- Résumé for Researchers (Source: Royal Society)
- Résumé for Research & Innovation (Source: UKRI)
Oxford Brookes encourages national and international collaborations. Partnerships are of
great importance to the University and we want to work with a variety of organisations to
strengthen our, and their research base. In order to ensure that these partnerships run as
smoothly as possible, due diligence checks need to take place, as early as possible, to
ensure compliance with statutory, contractual and funder requirements. It is fundamental to
good governance and ethical decision-making, before and during partnerships, to provide
guidance for agreements, contracts, sharing of intellectual property, associations, or
monetary exchanges with our research partners.
The Research Integrity and Governance Steering Group (RI&G Steering Group) brings together representatives from across the Oxford Brooks with responsibilities for research integrity and governance, to report, share good practice, and inform the development of University policy. It aims to review and coordinate University policies and procedures relating to the good governance of research and the ethical conduct of research, ensure integrity through the implementation of good research practices, and to facilitate the appropriate structures, groups, and processes for building an open research culture.
Meeting dates
RI&G Steering Group meets twice a semester. The dates for 2023/2024 are:
- Wednesday, 27 September 2023
- Tuesday, 21 November 2023
- Thursday, 18 January 2024
- Thursday, 2 May 2024
Membership
- Chair: HSS ADRKE Joanne Begiato
- Research Culture & Practice Manager: Robyn Curtis
- Director of Researcher Development: Susan Brooks
- Researcher Development Coordinator: Jennie Cripps
- Chair of University Research Ethics Committee: Sarah Quinton
- Research Data Manager: Nina Lewin
- Research Liaison: Lead Aaron Worsley
- Head of the Research Degrees Team: Tracy Barber
- Research Link Lead for Human Resources: TBA
- Research & Innovation Networks & KE Manager: Ashley Ritchie
- UKRN Institutional Lead: David Foxcroft
- UKRN Local Network Lead: Joseph Corneli
- Research Link Lead for Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences: Andrew Spicer
- Research Link Lead for Faculty of Health and Life Sciences: Jordi Solana
- Research Link Lead for Faculty of Technology, Design and Environment: Tjeerd Olde Scheper
- Research Link Lead for Oxford Brookes Business School: TBA
- Early Career Researcher Representative: TBA
- PhD student representative: TBA