FAQs

Why does Northwestern have an ORI and what does ORI do?

ORI was established to help Northwestern's research community understand and uphold the laws, regulations and policies to which we are subject; to support our commitment to innovative research and intellectual growth; and to emphasize a culture that focuses on ethics and integrity.

ORI supports and safeguards Northwestern University's research community by:

• Identifying compliance risks in the University's research practices and communicating those risk to the research community;
• Partnering with the research community in innovative and effective ways to minimize and manage research risks;
• Educating the research community with respect to appropriate business practices related to the conduct of research at Northwestern University; and
• Monitoring and correcting non-compliance in accordance with University and federal guidelines.

How does ORI support the University's mission?

ORI is dedicated to encouraging responsible and ethical research throughout Northwestern's research community. As part of the Office for Research, ORI's commitment to supporting innovative research is founded on the principles of integrity and honesty. ORI values:

• Service - partnering to help and support the research community
• Ethics - establishing and interpreting standards and principles for research misconduct
• Responsibility - promoting trust and accountability
• Vigilance - identifying and mitigating research risks throughout the research community
• Integrity - serving the research community with honesty and respect
• Community - promoting cooperation and coordination to manage research risks
• Excellence - improving research at Northwestern through innovation and participation

How does the University define scientific misconduct?

Scientific or research misconduct is defined as fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or other practices that seriously deviate from those commonly accepted within the academic community for proposing, conducting and reporting on research. Research misconduct is to be distinguished from honest error and differences of interpretation. It includes, but is not limited to:

• Falsification or misrepresentation of data, including:
  1. Reporting experiments, measurements or other statistical analysis never performed;
  2. Manipulating or altering data or other manifestations of the research to achieve a desired result;
  3. Falsifying or misrepresenting background information, including biographical data, citation of publications, or status of manuscripts;
  4. Selective reporting, including deliberate suppressions of conflicting or unwanted data.
• Plagiarism, being a representation of another's work as one's own.
• Abuse of confidentiality, including use of ideas and preliminary data gained from:
  1. Access to privileged information through the opportunity for editorial review of manuscripts submitted to journals, and
  2. The opportunity for peer review of proposals being considered for funding by agency panels or by internal committees, such as the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC).

If I suspect that research misconduct has occurred, what do I do?

Members of the academic community are responsible for reporting what they believe to be misconduct, as described above, on the part of research personnel. If you believe an instance of misconduct has occurred, you should contact the Dean of the appropriate school. Complaints relating to University research centers, involve more than one school, require special consideration, and/or involve federally sponsored projects can be made directly to the Office for Research at (847) 491-3485, ORI at (312) 503-0054 or to the appropriate Dean. The identity of confidential sources will be protected to the extent consistent with the needs of an inquiry or investigation. Those individuals who provide information in good faith about questionable conduct will be protected against reprisals.

What is involved in the research misconduct investigation process?

Once a misconduct complaint is received, a preliminary assessment will be performed to determine whether the complaint falls under the University's definition of research misconduct. If the preliminary assessment determines that the complaint warrants further review, an inquiry committee will be appointed to determine if the allegation warrants a full investigation. If an investigation is recommended by the inquiry committee, an investigation committee will be appointed to thoroughly examine the allegation and determine whether misconduct has taken place, by whom and to what extent. The investigative committee will create and submit a report to the Vice President of Research (VPR) and Provost for review and disposition.

ORI provides support to the committees and communicates the actions and committee recommendations to the VPR and Provost. ORI ensures adherence to University policies and guidelines for reviewing misconduct. See the University's guidelines for reviewing misconduct.

Where can I go to learn more about University and Agency rules and regulations?

The Office for Research maintains the University's policies and guidelines related to research.

The Guide for Research Information is a comprehensive on-line resource for research information.

The Office for Sponsored Research (OSR) has links to University, federal and external agencies' guidelines for research online