Graduate Research Integrity Workshop
What is Research Integrity?
What is Research Integrity?
Research integrity is the cornerstone of investigation at the University of Toronto. It is learned behaviour and is based on universal principles. The Singapore Statement on Research Integrity, drafted in 2010 at the 2nd World Conference on Research Integrity, articulates 4 principles that are fundamental to the integrity of research.
- Honesty in all aspects of research.
- Accountability in the conduct of research.
- Professional courtsey and fairness in working with others.
- Good stewardship of research on behalf of others.
Anyone involved in research is expected to embrace these principles and use them as a guide to carry out and communicate research discoveries and to use these discoveries to improve the health of the population, either directly or indirectly.
The University of Toronto and the research community at large view issues related to academic integrity and research misconduct extremely seriously. Anyone involved in research, needs to be familiar with, and adhere to the most current University of Toronto and affiliated hospital guidelines and policies relating to graduate research. Please refer to the full versions of the policies and guidelines outlined below.
Why is Integrity in Research Important?
As a researcher, you need to aspire to the highest level of academic integrity and adhere to codes of behaviour and practices that ensure you develop good habits in your career as a scientist.
The cost of research misconduct is immense:
- It devalues research and undermines science inquiry.
- It erodes the public’s trust in research.
- It is expensive and time consuming to investigate and correct.
- It can inflict irreparable damage to reputations and careers.
Thank you to Dr. David McKnight, Associate Dean, Equity and Professionalism for providing material for this page.
- International Committee of Medical Journal Editors
- National Institutes of Health Office of Science Policy
- World Association of Medical Editors
- Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research
- Tri-Council Policy Statement 2: Course on Research Ethics
- U.S. Department of Heath & Human Services Office of Research Integrity
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Research Integrity - The Lab
Research Policies, Guidelines and Supports at the University of Toronto
- Biosafety Training Requirement
- Context of Commercialization of Inventions Based on Thesis-Related Research
- Ethics in Human Research
- Framework to Address Allegations of Research Misconduct
- Intellectual Property Guidelines for Graduate Students and Supervisors
- Policy on Ethical Conduct in Research
- Principles and Responsiblities Regarding Access to Professional Program Students and Residents as Research Subjects
- Research Integrity
- School of Graduate Studies Guidelines on Research Involving Human Subjects
- University of Toronto Copyright Policy
- University of Toronto Inventions Policy
- University of Toronto Publications Policy
Research Integrity Workshops
This workshop is designed primarily for research-stream graduate students in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. It's main objective is to expose them to research integrity issues they may encounter during their studies and beyond as independent researchers. By the end of the workshop, graduate students will:
- be able to define research misconduct, why it occurs and identify examples
- review issues of integrity surrounding authorship and best practices on how to prevent/resolve related disputes
- review how images can be manipulated, how to recognize these distorted images and best practices in presenting images
- be informed of where to find available resources about research integrity
Organized as a hybrid offering, this workshop has two components (online workshop material via Quercus & live workshop). Students will need to complete all the components by the deadlines specified in order to successfully complete this workshop.
| Event | Date/Deadline |
| Start of Workshop | September 2023 |
| Fall Live Workshop | November 1, 2023 |
| Winter Live Workshop | March 6, 2024 |
Is this workshop mandatory for all new graduate students?
Departments that require this workshop will enroll students into the workshop and students will receive an email via Quercus in late September/early October. Please consult with your graduate coordinator.
We encourage all students to attend this session if you will be involved in any type of research during your graduate training.
Do I need to take this workshop if a similar course is offered by my other institution?
Please contact your graduate coordinator.
Do I need to attend both workshops?
No. Two workshops are available to accommodate everyone’s schedule. You are required to attend only one workshop.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend this course. Please withdraw my name from the attendees.
Please forward your request to your graduate coordinator and Yasman Mohammadzadeh.
Will there be a make up session available for those that missed the workshop?
If you are not able to attend the sessions offered in 2022, your department will need to inform us next September.
How can students that were not able to take this course in previous year be added to the list for this year’s participation?
Please forward your request to your graduate coordinator and Yasman Mohammadzadeh.
I cannot find this research integrity course on Quercus - it appears I was not registered.
The course shell will be available on September 19, 2022. If you do not see in on your Quercus dashboard as of this date, please contact Yasman Mohammadzadeh.
I finished the online modules, the quiz and attended the online session. I was wondering if I should have been sent an email confirming my completion of the course or not.
Departments will receive a list of students that have completed the workshop in Winter 2023 or earlier. For confirmation, please contact your graduate coordinator.