Rules for Good Scientific Practice

Good academic practice is the prerequisite for first-rate, credible research. The IRS has therefore established rules to ensure such good practice. These comprise central research-ethics principles and specifications on academic procedure, in particular with regard to:

• ensuring quality in the collection and evaluation of research data;
• the documentation of academic knowledge processes;
• the rights and obligations of publishing research results.

For the implementation of these rules, the IRS orients itself toward the “Recommendations  for safeguarding good scientific practice and handling complaints concerning scientific misconduct” made by the Leibniz Association as well as the recommendations of the Commission “Self-Regulation in Science and the Humanities” of the German Research Foundation on “Safeguarding good scientific practice”.

• means to work lege artis and to always refer to the newest state of research;
• is characterised by critical analysis of the scientific findings obtained and their controls;
• involves a conscientious examination of other scientific assessments and an honest line of argumentation with the contributions of colleagues and competitors;
• includes careful quality assurance and documentation of all stages of the research process, as well as the processing and maintenance of empirical research data, to ensure the transparency and reproducibility of research results;
• means upholding intellectual authorship in publications by carefully substantiating citations and acquisitions from other publications, as well accurately representing the findings and ideas of other authors;
• implies knowledge-transfer and consultation activities are research-based and result from scientifically-grounded findings, and that personal views are identified as such.

The ombudsperson and their deputy are elected for a period of three year from among the group of research associates. They act as consultants and confidants on issues of good scientific practice, and are the contact persons for researchers for questions of good scientific practice and in case of discrepancies and suspected scientific misconduct.