At Griffith, we’re committed to maintaining an environment that fosters responsible research

Many elements typify a responsible research culture, including honesty and integrity, respect for human research participants, animals and environment, good stewardship of the research resources and the responsible communication of results. We believe research ethics and integrity should go beyond compliance and be regarded as key in research design, conduct and reporting of results. In part, this is a response to:

  • the valid expectations of the wider community, which funds and supports research activities
  • our responsibilities to the human and animal participants in our work
  • the professions, academia and community who will rely on the accuracy of our work.

Integrity matters

At Griffith, research integrity covers matters such as:

  • the appropriate expertise of our researchers
  • the training of new researchers, including research students
  • adhering to ethical standards
  • the appropriate disclosure and response to conflicts of interest
  • the responsible management of research data
  • the dissemination of the results of research
  • authorship, peer review and collaborations between institutions
  • response to concerns or complaints relating to research misconduct.

Responsible Conduct of Research

National Code

In 2018 the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Research Council and Universities Australia released the revised Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. This document articulates the national standards on research integrity matters to inform the responsible conduct of research.

Griffith University's Responsible Conduct of Research policy

In 2018, the University approved The Responsible Conduct of Research policy. This document is our implementation of the revised Australian Code and applies to all research at Griffith.  The policy is supported by the Research Integrity Breach Investigation Procedure.

Aboriginal Knowledge and Intellectual Property Protocol Community Guide

This Community Guide is an adaptation of the Desert Knowledge CRC Aboriginal Knowledge and Intellectual Property Protocol.

Community guide

    Research integrity resource sheets

    Our resource sheets cover the various components of research integrity at Griffith. You can access the full set as a PDF or download individual sheets below:

    Further Resources

    Authorship agreement form

    This form is to be used by Griffith University research collaborators to record agreements with regards to the authorship of research outputs.

    Authorship decision support tool

    Professor Frederic Leusch (Dean Research - Science) has developed an "authorship decision support tool" to help start a conversation on authorship.

    • Authorship Decision Support Tool

      • How to use the tool:

      Step 1: List everyone who contributed to the work

      Step 2: Assign them a score across all four areas (Idea, work, writing, stewardship) from 0 (none) to 3 (essential)

      Step 3: Look at the sum of points, and consider the tool's recommendations

      Step 4: Begin a respectful conversation on authorship with your colleagues

    Research data management

    Research data is gathered or generated with the aim of conducting analysis and generating original research findings. Effective data management encompasses the storage, organisation and sharing of this valuable data. For more information about best practices in research data management, we invite you to explore our self-paced online training module. Additionally, you can find valuable data management guides below.

    Research Integrity Advisers

    Griffith University has appointed a network of experienced researchers to act as a source of collegiate advisers on research integrity matters. RIAs are not involved in the conduct of investigations into allegations of breaches of the Australian Code/Griffith Code but can be a source of advice to complainants or respondents.

    Research Integrity Breach Investigation Procedure

    This Procedure sets out the principles and procedures for the receiving, investigating and management of potential breaches of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, 2018 (the Code). It is informed by the Guide to Managing and Investigating Potential Breaches of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (The Investigation Guide 2018) and Griffith University’s Responsible Conduct of Research Policy.

    Animal ethics complaints

    Booklet 01 of our Animal Ethics Manual also details processes for responding to complaints, alleged breaches of ethical standards, or appeals against decisions.

    International Resources

    Research Integrity Advisers

    Griffith researchers can consult our Research Integrity Advisers for advice about research conduct issues.

    Contact an RIA