Raising a concern
A formal concern may be raised with the Office of Research Integrity where there is evidence to suggest that a breach of the Code has occurred.
A breach occurs when there has been a deviation from the principles and responsibilities set out in the Code (and its Guidelines) which are also reflected in Monash University’s research policies and procedures.
Some examples of potential breaches include:
- Authorship – failure to appropriately cite or acknowledge the contribution of others
- Conflict of Interest – failure to declare, be transparent about, or appropriately manage an actual, perceived or potential conflict of interest(s)
- Data Fabrication / Misrepresentation – circumstances where data has been manipulated, tweaked, omitted, changed, partially or entirely made up, and / or misrepresented. Data can be any material (e.g. numerical, graphical, pictorial etc.) collected or created in the course of undertaking research
- Data Management –failure to retain clear, accurate and complete records and / or store, share and / or destroy research data appropriately
- Fraud – falsifying documentation relevant to research work
- Misuse of Funds – inappropriate expenditure of research funding in a manner inconsistent with the funding agreement and rules
- Plagiarism – circumstances where the work of another is taken without consent and presented as one’s own
- Peer Review – failure to participate in the peer review process fairly and / or to maintain confidentiality of the content reviewed
- Recognition – failure to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on research that affects them and / or is of particular significance to them
- Respect – failure to respect research subjects (human & animal), the wider community and the environment in the course of undertaking research, and / or a failure to adhere to any ethics approvals granted
If you are a Monash researcher, staff or student and have concerns a potential breach of the Code has occurred, you may wish to seek advice from a Monash Research Integrity Advisor (RIA) in the first instance. You may choose to contact your local RIA, or one from outside your area.
If you would like to formalise your concern or you are external to our organisation, please contact our Office directly at vp.research@monash.edu with details of your matter and any supporting evidence.