Research ethics and integrity training

Overview

Although the majority of the Doctoral Development Programme (DDP) is individually tailored, all PGR students undertake the compulsory research ethics and integrity training module provided by their faculty. Good research practices are fundamental to good research, and it is essential for every student to understand how to conduct their research ethically, and with integrity.

Each faculty runs a module that has been tailored to the needs of its own research students, and you will be automatically registered to attend. For further course details click on your faculty below.

If you are an off-campus or part-time student who is unable to attend the face-to-face classes, you must contact the appropriate module provider to enquire how to complete this course online.

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Faculties

Arts and Humanities

Unit code: FCA6100

Unit title: Research Ethics and Integrity – Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Staff contact/module provider: Professor Jonathan Rayner, J.R.Rayner@sheffield.ac.uk

Administrative contact: Sarah Boyer S.Boyer@sheffield.ac.uk 

Open to: First and second year of research in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities

All postgraduate researchers in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities are required to complete the module FCA6100 Research Ethics and Integrity as a compulsory component of their studies.

This is a core part of your introductory training and you cannot be awarded your PhD until you have passed this course. You should normally complete the module within the first nine months of your registration, in advance of your Confirmation Review.

Our research ethics training is delivered online. This enables you to complete the course at your own pace and at a time to suit you. The module is provided by Epigeum.

You should follow the instructions below to register and get started with your training as soon as possible:

Go to https://courses.epigeum.com/register Complete the registration process according to the instructions provided. You should use your University of Sheffield email address for your registration. You will be asked for an access token during the registration process. The token needed is 13529219. If you do not enter this you will be asked to pay a fee to take the course once registered.  Once you have registered, you will be sent an activation email. If this does not arrive, check your spam email. The email will have been sent from technical@epigeum.com.

The module should take around 6.5 hours in total to complete. It is split into 13 shorter modules: eight "core" and five "supplementary". Each has an end-of-module quiz that will generate a module completion certificate.

Further course and programme-level certificates are released upon completion of all core and supplementary modules.

You can show your certificate to your examiners at your Confirmation Review meeting, as proof of your successful completion of FCA6100 Research Ethics and Integrity. Your completion of the module will also be logged automatically with the Doctoral Development team.

• Once your account is activated, log in (using your registered email address as your username) and you will be shown the courses available. Choose Research Integrity, Second Edition (UK version).
• You need to complete both the Core (250 minutes) and Supplementary (135 minutes) courses.
• You can attempt the course quiz as many times as is necessary to obtain a pass.

Engineering

Unit code: FCE6100

Unit title: Professional Behaviour and Ethical Conduct – Faculty of Engineering

Contact for queries: fce6100@sheffield.ac.uk 

Open to: First and second year of research – Faculty of Engineering

Semester taught: Graduate year

What is the module about?

Ethical integrity is an important part of your role as a researcher. Our Professional Behaviour and Ethical Conduct module will help heighten your ethical sensitivity and develop your awareness about where each course of action could take you.

The University takes ethical conduct seriously which is why the module is compulsory and one that all PGR students must complete. CDTs may offer their own bespoke ethics training.

The module is part of the Doctoral Development Programme (DDP) and will help you reflect on your own ethical behaviour and gain an understanding of issues facing today’s researchers. It will also give you the opportunity to examine and debate different scenarios.

Why must I take the module?

This module is compulsory. It is essential that you understand and can apply ethical judgement and know where to find guidance. Professionalism and the ability to assess the outcome of your actions are an important part of being a researcher which is why we provide this specialist training. Your ethical integrity will also be important to future employees.

The Nuffield report found that 58% of scientists felt tempted or under pressure to compromise on research integrity and standards.
Download the report (PDF, 1.13MB). 

How do I register for the module?

You will be automatically enrolled when you start your studies, and module information will appear on your Blackboard. If you can't see the module information on Blackboard or are concerned that you haven't been enrolled, please contact the FCE6100 administrator at fce6100@sheffield.ac.uk.

How is the module delivered?

To complete the module you will need to undertake all of the following sections:

• Two-hour introductory lecture to inspire interest and encourage independent learning. The importance and relevance of the training will be conveyed and key concepts introduced.
• The online Epigeum course 'Research Integrity'.
• The online assessment of the Epigeum course - 80% pass is required.
• An online evaluation and self-assessment will be made available via Google Docs after you have attended the introductory lecture.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I do not complete it in my first year?

If you do not complete it in the first year you will be added to the attendees for the next year's course and attend with the first years. It is only exceptional cases that students will be allowed to attend in their third year. The awarding of your PhD will be withheld if you have not completed this course.

What if I am a part-time or remote student?

Contact the Faculty at fce6100@sheffield.ac.uk to discuss alternative arrangements.

I have completed the module but this is not shown in my student record, what should I do?

You need to contact whoever organised the course originally. Contact fce6100@sheffield.ac.uk with details of your student number and the dates attended.

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How do I access the online course?

To access the Epigeum Impact System containing the Research Integrity course, do the following:

• Go to https://courses.epigeum.com/register
• Complete registration. You will be asked for an access token. The token needed is: 1ec87ca7. If you do not enter this you will be asked to pay a fee to take the course once registered. 
• You will be sent an activation email. If this does not arrive, check your SPAM email. The email will have been sent from technical@epigeum.com
• Once the account is activated, log in and you will be shown the course programs available.
• Choose the Research Integrity, Second Edition (UK version).  Within this you can select the Core version, but you might want to check the Supplementary course later in your PhD if you have queries.

Health

Unit code: FCM611 (previously FCM6100)

Unit title: Research Ethics and Integrity- Faculty of Health

Module leads:Dr Richmond Muimo, r.muimo@sheffield.ac.uk and Professor Parveen Ali, parveen.ali@sheffield.ac.uk and Administrator: Miss Bethany Flood, b.a.flood@sheffield.ac.uk

Open to: First year of research – Faculty of Health

Semester taught: Graduate year

Teaching methods: The module is run over approximately 12 weeks. Students will be given access to the online Epigeum modules (Ethical Research, Research Integrity). Students will be expected to complete the Epigeum modules in a set period of time (6 weeks) and submit the Epigeum certificates to blackboard by a given date.

Students will also have access to other online material on Blackboard. These are case studies and relevant information covering the following topics to develop understanding further.

• Professional integrity
• Research involving animals
• Data integrity  
• Research involving human participants  
• Credit, authorship, intellectual property  
• Professional integrity  
• Health and Social Care research

A live session will take place partway through this six week period. The session will ask students to reflect on the challenges faced during  their research followed by small group work discussing. The session will finish with an open Q&A.

Following completion of the Epigeum module, students will complete a survey to reflect on their understanding of research ethics issues.  The survey will be sent out two weeks before the final session.

A final session will be held at which all the students enrolled on the module will be assigned or split into small groups. During this group activity, students  will discuss common research ethics issues encountered through the module and examples from their own experiences.  Students will reflect on how the module relates to their research and which part of the module was most relevant to them.

Assessment

To fulfil the requirements to pass this module the PGR needs to do the following:

(a)    Complete the Epigeum modules over a set period of time (6 weeks) and submit your certificates to blackboard by a given date.
(b)    Attend a live interactive session midway through completing the Epigeum modules
(c)    Complete the reflective survey
(d) Participate in the final reflective session

Students must adhere to all the module requirements to pass the module. Failure to do so will mean their Confirmation Review will be delayed since confirmation is dependent on the completion of this module.

Details of the Reflective Session

By bringing together students from different departments and research areas, the training will provide opportunities for students to meet with and discuss the professional and ethical challenges that are not limited to their own research area or practice but also address a wide range of issues that are relevant to their future development as research leaders.

Aims and objectives

To give thoughtful and guided exposure to key research ethics issues to the PGRs and to give ring fenced time for the PGRs to reflect on how these issues may affect their own research practice.

Learning outcomes

Through reflecting on and critically analysing their own and others’ behaviours and actions, students should gain, through application, a range of key skills for research including the below:

• Being able to justify and defend the ethical management (design, data collection, etc.) of their research, for example, of a viva panel or to an ethics committee.
• Being able to navigate any legal and regulatory requirements affecting their research.
• Being an independent learner.
• Being better prepared to manage challenges in their research.
• Becoming professionally socialised within their own research discipline and within the Western higher education context.

Students should also gain key transferable skills useful in any career, helping them to become a more rounded individual, including the below:

• Analytical and critical thinking.
• How to work together effectively.
• Developing the confidence to help them walk the talk, ie sticking to one's principles, being able to make fully informed judgements and take appropriate actions, etc.
• Being self-aware and knowing when to ask for advice.

Further information

Although the majority of the Doctoral Development Programme (DDP) is individually tailored, all new research students are expected to undertake the research integrity and ethics training module provided by their faculty and will be automatically registered.

Good research practices are fundamental to good research and it is essential for every researcher to understand how to conduct their research ethically and with integrity.

Students could be exempt from the module if they have already had suitable and significant experience of research ethics and integrity training as part of previous postgraduate studies or as part of other professional training.

This does not include clinical ethics training and no partial exemptions will be permitted. Students should provide a short explanation of 150 words, detailing the course they have taken and providing the supporting evidence, such as transcripts.

Exemption criteria

• The course must have consisted of a minimum of eight hours of contact time and a total of 12 hours of study including the contact time

• At least four key research ethics areas were addressed during the applicant’s study (examples could include issues of consent and confidentiality, animal research, authorship and data/professional integrity or responsibilities)

• Exemptions will only be considered if the training had been at postgraduate level or as part of other professional training

How do I access the Epigeum course?

You will be contacted directly by the faculty with your Epigeum login details. If you are having issues please contact the administrator, Miss Bethany Flood, b.a.flood@sheffield.ac.uk

Science

Unit code: FCP611 (previously FCP6101, FCP6102 and FCP6103)

Unit title: Research Ethics and Integrity - Faculty of Science

Staff contact: Graduate School Manager, sciencegradschool@sheffield.ac.uk

Open to: First and second year of research – Faculty of Science

Semester taught: Graduate year

What is the module about?

Ethics are moral principles that guide behaviour. Integrity is about being consistent, honest, truthful and accurate. These characteristics are essential in science research since our purpose is to seek truth. As postgraduate researchers you are expected to conduct your research with ethics and integrity and uphold these values within your scientific community. Consequently this module is compulsory for all PhD students and forms part of the Doctoral Development Programme (DDP).

The module will introduce to you some of the challenging ethical issues facing today’s science researchers. You will reflect on your own ethical behaviour and consider how you would address situations that you might encounter as a researcher. You will discuss case studies based on real events to explore the reasons why some people are tempted to behave unethically and what should be done to uphold the values of integrity that are so important to science. Joining with peers from across the faculty of science will enable you to see a variety of issues and perspectives from different specific subject areas as well as those common to all of science. Common issues include giving appropriate credit to those who contributed to the work, ensuring that our research is untainted by scientific fraud (such as data fabrication/manipulation) and that the conclusions we draw are justified.

Aims and objectives

Good research practices are fundamental to good research and it is essential for every researcher to understand how to conduct their research ethically, and with integrity. Training on research ethics and integrity for all PGR students is compulsory and is part of the Doctoral Development Programme. The key aims of the training are to enable participants to:

• Recognise good and bad research practice.
• Reflect on their own ethical behaviour.
• Consider what to do if they experience potentially unethical behaviour.

Learning Outcomes

Successful completion of the module means participants will be able to:

• Recognise good and bad research practice.
• Discuss ethical dilemmas that can occur in their field.
• Include ethical requirements relevant to their research area when designing investigations/data collection.
• Justify findings/conclusions using evidenced based analysis suited to their discipline.
• Critique their own ethical behaviour.
• Decide on an appropriate course of action if they experience unethical behaviour.
• Ask for advice from a suitable person when appropriate.

How is the module delivered?

To complete the module you will need to undertake all of the following elements:

1. Step one (Semester one of year one) A two hour introductory lecture. An online evaluation and self-assessment will be made available via Google Docs after you have attended the introductory lecture.
2. Step two (Semester two of year one) Participation in a small group discussion of research ethics case studies. An online evaluation and self-assessment will be made available via Google Docs after you have attended the session.
3. Step three (Semester one of year two) Small group discussion of own research ethics case studies, from the student's own research field. In exceptional circumstances where students cannot attend any face to face training sessions, students will be asked to complete the online Epigeum ‘Research Integrity’ course. The online assessment requires a 80% pass rate.

In exceptional circumstances where students cannot attend any face to face training sessions, students will be asked to complete the online Epigeum ‘Research Integrity’ course. The online assessment requires a 80% pass rate.

Social Sciences

Unit code: FCS601 (previously FCS6100)

Unit title: Research Ethics and Integrity – Faculty of Social Sciences

Staff contact/module provider: Dr Stefanie Pukallus, S.Pukallus@sheffield.ac.uk

Administrative contact: Sarah Aspey, Sarah.Aspey@sheffield.ac.uk 

Open to: First and second year of research – Faculty of Social Sciences

Semester taught: Graduate year (introductory lecture in Autumn, follow on workshop in Spring)

Teaching methods

The below sets out the broad framework for the training:

• Step one (semester one of year one): Introductory lecture to inspire interest and encourage independent learning, to convey the importance and relevance of the training and to introduce key concepts (face-to-face lecture or online lecture).
• Step two (semester two of year one): Action learning sets to help PGRs to become reflective practitioners who are discussing the concepts of ethics and integrity actively through consideration of case studies and examples and then applying these concepts to their own research (facilitated group discussion sessions involving 10–15 PGRs – face to face or online).
• Step three (on completion of step two): Personal review of experiences – PGRs complete a self-assessment form about competency in ethical sensitivity and reasoning and in specific topics. PGRs discuss this with their supervisor and add the form to the ePortfolio.

Assessments

There will be no formal assessment – step three of the training involves a self-assessment process, where students will be encouraged through completion of a form to consider what they have learned and what skills they have gained.

This will be discussed with the supervisor and recorded in the student's DDP Evidencing Development Summary/ePortfolio.

Full description

Training on research ethics and integrity for all PGR students is part of the Doctoral Development Programme. The training will:

• Enhance students' ability to critically analyse and reflect upon their own actions and behaviours when conducting research from start to finish, as well as interactions with research participants, supervisors, co-workers etc.
• Heighten ethical sensitivity and reasoning, enabling students to plan and prepare for ethical challenges they may face and to be able to manage challenges.
• Complement and reinforce existing research methods training.

Aims and objectives

The key aims of the training are:

• To encourage PGR students to critically analyse and reflect on their own actions and behaviours in conducting research and in their interactions with research participants, supervisors, co-workers etc.
• To heighten PGR students' ethical sensitivity and reasoning, enabling them to plan and prepare for challenges they may face and to be able to manage challenges in an ethical way.

Ethical sensitivity is about developing an awareness of the potential consequences of actions and being aware of alternative courses of action, whereas ethical reasoning is about developing a morally defensible argument of pursuing a particular course of action.

Extra information

Although the majority of the DDP is individually tailored, all new research students are expected to undertake the research integrity and ethics training module provided by their faculty and will be automatically registered.

Good research practices are fundamental to good research and it is essential for every researcher to understand how to conduct their research ethically, and with integrity.