Responsible Conduct of Research

Case Western Reserve University expects researchers to maintain high standards of ethics and accountability in planning, conducting, and reporting research. To this end, Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) standards are set forth by state and federal regulations, institutional policies, professional codes of conduct, and personal convictions.

CWRU expects all individuals engaged in research, including faculty, research staff, graduate students, post-doctoral scholars and fellows, and undergraduate students, to have a clear understanding of all Responsible Conduct of Research topics. In addition, some funding mechanisms require specific training standards for groups of researchers.

The resources identified on this website are intended to help facilitate meaningful, discipline-specific education that promotes ethical conduct in research.

RCR Topic Areas

It is generally accepted that RCR training includes instruction on proper standards in the following areas:

• Animal research
• Collaborative research
• Conflict of interest
• Data management 
• Human subjects research
• Mentorship
• Peer review
• Research misconduct
• Responsible authorship
• Safe research environment

Additional topics of importance that should be considered include:

• Rigor and reproducibility in research
• Laboratory safety

Explore RCR Resources by Topic Area

CWRU Resources for RCR Training 

Formal Classes 

• IBMS 500 and RCR +4 – for NIH-funded graduate students

Seminars

• The Office of Research Administration (ORA) Series 
• The Undergraduate RCR Series 

Online Modules - Required for NSF-funded trainees, faculty, and senior personnel

• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Program RCR Training 

External Resources for RCR Training

• Office of Research Integrity (ORI) resources 
• Council of Graduate Schools resources 
• National Science Foundation resources 
• National Institutes of Health resources  

Get in Touch

Have further questions about the Responsible Conduct of Research policies at CWRU? Contact our team.