Please note: If you are doing your PhD outside of Groningen (e.g. abroad), it is possible to attend an online version of this course.
Course description:
This course is designed to strengthen your own research with the highest quality standards for responsible-conduct-of-research (RCR). The course has two parts, which are both needed to successfully complete the course (in this order):
- The self-paced online self-study module (7-8h) contains realistic PhD scenarios coupled with short reflective assignments. The themes covered in the module are: (i) academic quality, (ii) authorship, (iii) social safety, (iv) property and data sharing.
- An interactive onsite tutorial (3h, from 9:00-12:00). In small groups, you will critically discuss real-world case studies with your peers. Moreover, you will apply theoretical concepts and principles from professional codes-of-conduct and from the online learning module.
Preparation:
- Please complete the online self-study module 1 week before the onsite tutorial the latest (see instructions below). A tip: Do not leave the completion to the last minute. Anyone who hasn't completed the self-study by deadline will be automatically deregistered from the course.
- Add the course 'Scientific Integrity' in your Hora Finita training activities. However, do not add any ECTS - GSSE will do that once you've completed both the self-study and the tutorial.
- Read the material sent by the course instructor ~1 week before the tutorial.
- Bring headphones and a laptop to the tutorial.
Online self-study
- You can find the online self-study module here: Responsible Conduct of Research (Utrecht University).
- As of September 2025, Coursera no longer provides an official certificate for the online self-study. To complete the course and verify your completion, we'd like to ask you to do the following:
- Sign up for Coursera and enrol for the course for free. Complete all the modules and assignments.
- After completing the course, send an email to phd-academy.fse@rug.nl, titled 'Scientific Integrity: self-study'. Include your name, P number, a screenshot of the completed modules, as well as the final assignment (6.1.2; your own submission, not your peer review) either as a .docx or .pdf. Do this 1 week before the tutorial the latest.
Learning goals:
- You will be able to recognize issues, such as questionable practices and/or misconduct in well-known affairs from research practice.
- You will gain the skills to suggest and explain a substantiated and weighed ethical course of action with reference to existing safeguards.