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Writing research guidelines

14 September 2005

Monash head of the School of Biomedical Sciences Professor Warwick Anderson is leading a joint working group convened to review the Australian guidelines for conducting research.

The group, established by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the Australian Vice Chancellor's Committee and the Australian Research Council, is reviewing the guidelines on research practice.

The review, which was last undertaken in 1997, will result in a new Australian Code for Conducting Research, the second draft of which is expected to be completed and advertised for submissions before the end of the year.

Professor Anderson (pictured) said the original statement was written in response to issues of major research misconduct, in the 1980s and 1990s.

He said the guidelines were being reviewed as it had been eight years since they were last examined and because of further instances of serious misconduct in the research community.

"These guidelines help to ensure public trust in science.

"The integrity of people who work in science is crucial to maintaining public trust. We have to keep our house in order -- when the NHMRC is funding research and the institutions are conducting research we need to make sure it is done with the greatest respect for truth and personal integrity.

"To ensure this we need clear guidelines and the ability to thoroughly investigate any instances of misconduct," Professor Anderson said.

In August the group held a workshop, which attracted speakers from Europe and the US, to discuss integrity in science and how to manage allegations of research misconduct.

In a talk at the workshop, Monash senior deputy vice-chancellor Professor Stephen Parker said that because no one can predict all the uses to which research findings might be put, the integrity of research was fundamental.

He said a two-tier system was needed to best address instances of academic misconduct consisting of the institutions themselves and an external system constituted by state and federal governments.

The code is expected to be completed by the middle of next year.