MSU research conduct policy updated from 2002 procedures

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MSU researchers found to be guilty of unacceptable or questionable research practices no longer will have the right to appeal.

“That’s just more consistent with the way it’s handled in the federal system,” said J. Ian Gray, vice president for research and graduate studies.

MSU’s research misconduct procedures have changed to be in line with new federal requirements, Gray said. The procedures were last reviewed in 2002.

“(The federal agencies) are the bosses. They have all the money,” Graduate School dean Karen Klomparens said.

She said the faculty from the accused researcher’s department advises the investigators in questionable research practices cases.

“Those are charges that are less than the full-blown misconduct charges,” Klomparens said.

University Research Integrity officer Jim Pivarnik said an example of unacceptable research practices would be wiping out a competing researcher’s hard drive.

He said other behavior covered by the procedures includes plagiarism, making up data or skewing numbers to support a conclusion.

Pivarnik estimated his office sees an average of one allegation every two months, which then triggers a full investigation.

Gray said plagiarism is the most common offense.

“It’s a matter of understanding (what is) plagiarism,” he said. “When in doubt, always cite your source.”

Pivarnik said MSU’s misconduct definitions also were changed to protect faculty in creative fields. A poet can write a political leader killed 10 million people, he said, when a historian could not.

“The subtleties (and) the cultures of different disciplines need to be taken into account,” he said. “In those situations, it was obviously not meant to be true.”

He said the changes also added a definition of good faith. The 2002 procedures included a definition of bad faith.

“We don’t judge a person’s reason for coming forward. They don’t have to be completely altruistic,” he said. “As long as the person came forth believing these things happened and (these things) are wrong, that’s good faith.”

Pivarnik said students and other researchers can talk to him anonymously, and they can talk hypothetically if they aren’t sure if some practices are misconduct.

“Students are very hesitant to come forward if things come up,” he said. “You don’t want to give somebody’s name out if it’s just a misunderstanding.”

Klomparens said the Graduate School is putting together a Web site about responsible research to satisfy a federal requirement. Starting in January 2010, the National Science Foundation will require universities to educate undergraduates, graduate and post-doctoral students on what counts as misconduct, she said.

“The research that the public supports with their money has to be research the public can trust,” she said.

Stephanie Watts, chairwoman of the MSU Research Integrity Council, said the council is making up activities and resources to teach researchers about acceptable practices.

“Some of the things … we talk about are honesty, giving credit where credit is due, collegiality, communication and respect for animal and human subjects,” she said. “We want people to say, ‘Gee, that’s common sense.’”

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