Carnegie Mellon University
Responsible Conduct of Research

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)

Carnegie Mellon University is committed to maintaining the integrity fundamental to research activities through the responsible and ethical conduct of its faculty, staff, and students. Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) is a widely accepted set of ethical principles and professional standards for conducting research in the university community.  These standards are set forth by state and federal regulations, institutional policies, professional codes of conduct and personal convictions.   The building blocks of responsible conduct of research include*:

  • Honesty - conveying information truthfully and honoring commitments,
  • Accuracy - reporting findings precisely and taking care to avoid errors,
  • Efficiency - using resources wisely and avoiding waste, and
  • Objectivity - letting the facts speak for themselves and avoiding improper bias

*From the ORI Introduction to Responsible Conduct of Research.

RCR training is a framework for imparting these principals and standards, and a critical component of scholarly and career development.  Carnegie Mellon University has selected the CITI Program to provide basic RCR instruction in addition to hosting RCR seminars each semester. 

RCR applies to all fields of research, and we strongly encourage all academic and research units to take the training.  For more information on the RCR topics or a list of upcoming events check out the informational sections on the right.