Good research practice - what is it about?

"Scientific integrity forms the basis for trustworthy research. It is an example of academic voluntary commitment that encompasses a respectful attitude towards peers, research participants, animals, cultural assets, and the environment, and strengthens and promotes vital public trust in research. (...) The Research community itself ensures good practice through fair and honest attitudes and conduct as well as organisational and procedural regulations." (DFG Code of Conduct 2019: 7)

Scientific integrity requires that the rules of good scientific practice are respected. Violations of these standards not only endanger science itself; it also impairs society's trust in research and thus the preconditions for support of the academic system. With this in mind, the University of Göttingen and the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) have drawn up the “Rules of the University of Göttingen Governing the Safeguarding of Good Research Practice” based on the DFG (German Research Foundation) recommendations (2013). These Rules are binding for all members of the University.

In concrete terms, this practice means that

• appropriate methods are used and all results are consistently doubted by oneself,
• academic qualification work is actually based on personal contribution,
• preliminary academic work should be adequately considered and correctly cited,
• the authors listed in a publication have actually contributed substantially to the creation of the work,
• one’s own research data can be checked and used by others within the framework of standards customary in the respective field,
• scientists and scholars who teach and instruct meet their responsibility for communicating these principles and ensure adequate supervision.