Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)
In general terms, responsible conduct in research is simply good citizenship applied to professional life. More specifically, RCR is reflected by honesty, accuracy, efficiency, and objectivity on the part of researchers across all disciplines in all they do. RCR education typically covers 9 topics: use of animals in research, use of humans in research, scientific misconduct, conflicts of interest, data management and data sharing, peer review, mentoring, authorship, and collaborations.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) requires that all applicants for National Research Service Award (NSRA) fellowships include in their proposal specific educational plans regarding RCR. The National Science Foundation (NSF) requires that all undergraduate and graduate students, and all postdocs employed on NSF awards receive RCR education.