Best Practices Checklist for Researchers
Research Integrity
- Maintain high standards in own work.
- Understand policies.
- Raise questions and problems promptly and professionally.
- Strive to be a generous and collegial colleague.
Data Handling
- Develop data management and sharing plan at the outset of a project.
- Incorporate appropriate data management expertise in the project team.
- Understand and follow data collection, management, and sharing standards, policies, and regulations of the discipline, institution, funder, journal, and relevant government agencies.
Authorship and Communication
- Ensure that general and disciplinary standards are followed for research publications.
- Acknowledge the roles and contributions of authors.
- Be transparent when communicating with all audiences.
Mentoring and Supervision
- Model and instruct on research best practices.
- Regularly check work of subordinates and ensure adherence to best practices.
- Clarify expectations.
Peer Review
- Provide complete and timely review.
- Maintain confidentiality.
- Disclose conflicts, and eliminate or manage them as appropriate.
Research Compliance
- Protect human subjects and laboratory animals.
- Follow environmental and other safety regulations.
- Do not engage in misuse.
- Disclose and manage conflicts of interest.