A number of well publicized cases involving breaches of normative behavior have lead to a new concern with the integrity of the research enterprise. A review of the state of recent initiatives to address research integrity by the National Research Council recommended three key efforts: 1) develop measures for the assessment of research integrity, 2) identify the environmental variables or career events that influence research integrity, and 3) develop effective educational interventions. In the present effort, two studies will be conducted; one examining graduate research assistants and one examining working professionals in the health, biological, and social sciences who are participating in responsible conduct of research training. Participants will be asked to complete three measures of ethical decision making tailored to scientific work. These measures will be used both to identify the critical components of effective training and to identify the work climate variables and career events that influence ethical decision making. The data gathered in this effort will also be used to validate a set of prototype instruments for the assessment of research integrity and the environmental variables that influence integrity across researchers' careers.

R01NS049535

2004-09-01

2007-09-30