Ethical
Expectations
UROP expects
participants
to conduct
themselves
with the same
integrity
and high standards
of conduct
expected of
all members
of the MIT
community.
The Institute is extraordinarily
diverse, and
the ability
to work with
others is
important.
Students
are urged
to meet with
their supervisors
to discuss
issues of
data handling,
research practices,
laboratory
rules, etc.,
and to share
expectations
regarding
records and
reporting
of time spent
on a project.
Faculty are
expected to
be available
to students,
to answer
questions
and treat
student researchers
fairly.
- Academic
and financial
fraud is
the fabrication
or falsification
of data
or attendance
records;
theft
of materials,
supplies,
or ideas;
plagiarism;
deliberate
interference
with the
integrity
of the
work of
others.
Fraud
of any
kind will
not be
tolerated.
- Harassment is
defined
as verbal
or physical
conduct
with the
intent or
effect of
unreasonably
interfering
with an
individual's
or group's
educational
or work
environment.
Any form
of harassment
is unacceptable.
To help
you understand
your role
in the lab
and expectations,
be sure to
do the following
when beginning
your research:
- Find
out what
your research
is about. Find
out how
it relates
to other
work in
the field.
Ask many
questions!
- Ask
who will
be responsible
for your
supervision (including
who approves
your weekly
timecard)
if your
research
supervisor
is away.
- Clarify
which
charges
to a research
account
are allowable, and
which
are not.
- Clarify
who will
retain
custody
of primary,
original
data, be
it gathered
in the
field
or in
the laboratory.
- Find
out what
conventions
or rules
in your
field
of research
differ from
those
that apply
to other
types
of research.
When conducting
your research,
be sure
to follow
the guidelines
for ethical
research
behavior,
outlined
below:
- Never
destroy
primary,
original
data, no
matter
how rough
its form.
Colleagues
and/or
other
readers
of published
results
may raise
questions
that can
only be
answered
by referring
to such
data.
- Make
sure that
you are
able to
replicate any
and all
original
data and/or
experiments
before
proceeding
to a subsequent
step in
your research
(usually
the analysis
and conclusion).
- Ask
your research
supervisor
about
data in
your work
that you
perceive
as inconsistent
and/or
inconclusive.
- Review
the Safety,
Intellectual
Property & Patents section
of this
site and
ask your
UROP supervisor
about
specific
issues
such as
patents
and copyrights,
environmental
health
and safety,
care of
laboratory
animals,
etc.,
that may
pertain
to your
UROP.
Finally,
when the
time comes
to write
up your
results,
remember
to:
- Find
out what
criteria
are used for
authorship
of manuscripts
in your
research
group.
- When you
are writing
a manuscript with
multiple
authors,
verify what part
of the
manuscript
falls
within
your jurisdiction,
and find
out which
of the
authors
is designated
as the
party
responsible
for the
entire
manuscript.
- Always
give proper
acknowledgment of
your sources,
whether
they
are articles,
books,
or conversation.
- Ask
your research
supervisor about
quoting
and/or
paraphrasing
sources
of information.
- Ask
your research
supervisor
or advisor
for advice
when you
are unsure, even
in the
slightest,
about
an issue
in your
UROP.
It is
better
to ask
too many
questions
than too
few. Learn
from your
mistakes;
they are
often
the most
valuable
experiences
in your
education.
For more
information,
contact:
- Michael
Bergren,
Associate
Dean
Room 7-104, x3-8801
email: mberg@mit.edu
- Melissa
Martin-Greene,
Program
Coordinator-UROP
Room 7-104, x3-3002
email: melmart@mit.edu
- Sara Nelson ,
Administrative
Assistant
Room 7-104, x3-0751
email: snelson@mit.edu
Any instances
of harassment,
fraud, or
other violations
may be referred
to appropriate
Institute
channels for
disciplinary
action. Students
who are concerned
about improper
or unethical
behavior--or
who may have
observed it--are
encouraged
to consult
with the relevant
department
head, UROP
staff,
or one of
the following
individuals:
- Kim Vandiver,
Dean of
Undergraduate
Research
Room 7-133, x3-4366
Email: kimv@mit.edu
- Mary P.
Rowe, Special
Assistant
to the President
Room 10-213, x3-5921
Email: mrowe@mit.edu
- Toni Robinson,
Ombudsperson
Room 10-213, x3-5921
Email: trobins@mit.edu
Institute
guidelines governing
the reporting
and investigation
of alleged
instances
of fraud
can be found
in Policies
and Procedures:
A Guide
for Faculty
and Staff
Members ,
section
10.0, " Academic
Misconduct
and Dishonesty ." Institute
guidelines
concerning
harassment
can be found
in Dealing
with Harassment
at MIT. |
