Course description

General information

The University of Groningen is strongly committed to scientific integrity in research and education. As a PhD student, you will often be faced with decisions that concern standards of good scientific practice: concerning the storage, interpretation and presentation of research data, for example, the question of authorship in co-authored articles, or the use of other scientists' work in your own publications.

In order to help PhD students deal with issues of scientific integrity in their research, the Graduate School of Science and Engineering organises a mandatory module on scientific integrity for all new PhD students. This module consists of two sessions, which are typically held three to four months apart.

Assignments and materials
During the course, students will be asked to:

• Complete one assignment (the results of which will be used in discussion during the second meeting).
• Purchase and read a digital copy of Plastic Fantastic: How the Biggest Fraud in Physics Shook the Scientific World by Eugenie Samuel Reich.

PhD students may use their ITB codes to purchase Plastic Fantastic. Students who have difficulties with screen reading may borrow a copy of the book from the Graduate School office for the duration of the course.

Tracks
There are three tracks within Scientific Integrity, which are tailored to specific types of research:

• Experimental research in Life Sciences and Chemistry 

• Experimental research in Physics and Engineering 

• Theoretical or Computational research 

Registration & credits
When registering for Scientific Integrity, please choose the section that most closely matches your type of research. PhD students who complete Scientific Integrity will be awarded 2 ECTS credits*. 

Completing this module is compulsory
PhD students who have missed one or both meetings or who do not hand-in the assignment in time before the second meeting will have to register for a new group as soon as possible.

*Please note: you will be informed by the GSSE when the course is completed. Once confirmed by the GSSE, you will have to register the course and credits in Hora Finita yourself. This is not done automatically.

ECTS

2