13 Research Integrity

​In this section:

13.1 What is research integrity?
13.2 What is Laurier’s commitment to academic freedom?
13.3 What is Laurier’s approach to research misconduct? 
13.4 Committee on the Publications of Ethics (COPE)
13.5 What is Laurier’s policy on Conflict of Interest?
13.6 What do I do if there has been a privacy breach in my research program?
13.7 What is the Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act?
13.8 What happens if my research program is the subject of a Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act request?
13.9 How do I conduct a reasonable search for a Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act request?

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13.1 What is research integrity?

A Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) Expert Panel defined research integrity as “the coherent and consistent application of values and principles essential to encouraging and achieving excellence in the search for, and dissemination of, knowledge. These values include honesty, fairness, trust, accountability, and openness.”

At Laurier we take research integrity seriously and are guided by the Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research to create positive research environment.

13.2 What is Laurier’s commitment to academic freedom?

As outlined in the WLUFA Collective Agreement, faculty members are entitled, regardless of prescribed doctrine, to freedom to practice their professions of teacher and scholar, or librarian, freedom in carrying out research and in publishing the results thereof, freedom of teaching and discussion, freedom of creative activity, freedom to select, acquire, disseminate, or use documents in the exercise of their professional responsibilities, freedom to criticize the University and the Faculty Association, and freedom from institutional censorship.

For more information see article 7 of the WLUFA Collective Agreement​.  

13.3 What is Laurier’s approach to research misconduct? 

Irresponsible conduct of research or research misconduct is any research practice that deviates seriously from the commonly accepted ethics/integrity standards or practices of the relevant research community. Examples of research misconduct include, but are not limited to, the following:  

  • Fabrication: Making up data, source material, methodologies or findings, including graphs and images.
  • Falsification: Manipulating, changing, or omitting data, source material, methodologies or findings, including graphs and images, without acknowledgement and which results in inaccurate findings or conclusions.
  • Destruction of research records: The destruction of one’s own or another’s research data or records to specifically avoid the detection of wrongdoing or in contravention of the applicable funding agreement, institutional policy and/or laws, regulations and professional or disciplinary standards.
  • Plagiarism: Presenting and using another’s published or unpublished work, including theories, concepts, data, source material, methodologies or findings, including graphs and images, as one’s own, without appropriate referencing and, if required, without permission.
  • Redundant publication or self-plagiarism: The re-publication of one’s own previously published work or part thereof, including data, in any language, without adequate acknowledgment of the source, or justification.
  • Invalid authorship: Inaccurate attribution of authorship, including attribution of authorship to persons other than those who have made a substantial contribution to, and who accept responsibility for, the contents of a publication or document.
  • Inadequate acknowledgement: Failure to appropriately recognize contributors.
  • Mismanagement of conflict of interest: Failure to appropriately identify and address any real, potential or perceived conflict of interest, in accordance with the institution’s policy on conflict of interest in research, preventing one or more of the objectives of the Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research from being met.
  • Misrepresentation in grant and award applications and related documents: 
    • Providing incomplete, inaccurate or false information in a grant or award application or related document, such as a letter of support, curriculum vitae, or progress report; 
    • Applying for and/or holding an award when deemed ineligible by an Agency or any other research funding organization world-wide for reasons of breach of responsible conduct of research policies such as ethics, integrity or financial management policies; and  
    • Listing of co-applicants, collaborators or partners without their agreement. 
  • Mismanagement of grant and award funds: Using grant or award funds for purposes inconsistent with the policies of the funding agency; misappropriating grants and award funds; contravening the funding agency’s financial policies; or providing incomplete, inaccurate or false information on documentation for expenditures from grant or award accounts.
  • Failure to fulfil compliance and other requirements related to research activities: Failing to meet funding agency or university policies for research activities, or failure to comply with relevant policies, laws or regulations, for the conduct of certain types of research activities; failing to obtain or comply with the appropriate approvals, permits, or certifications before and in conducting these activities (including research ethics board or animal care approvals). 
  • Breaching Tri-Agency review process: Not complying with the Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy of the Federal Research Funding Organizations and/or participating in a Tri-Agency Review process while under investigation.  

All members of the Laurier community share in the responsibility for ensuring adherence to the highest standard of scholarly conduct.  To learn more about Laurier’s approach to breaches of those high standards, including on how to file an allegation, see Policy 11.14​.   

13.4 Committee on the Publications of Ethics (COPE)

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) “provides leadership in thinking on publication ethics and practical resources to educate and support members, and offers a professional voice in current debates”.  Learn more about the work of COPE and discover guidance on ethical publication ethics.    

13.5 What is Laurier’s policy on conflict of interest?

Refer to policy 8.1 Conflict of Interest Policy.

13.6 What do I do if there has been a privacy breach in my research program?

The Legal Services and Privacy Office provides advice and support for legal compliance at Laurier.  The office advises university academic and administrative units on a range of legal and privacy/access matters and serves as the first point of contact on all issues with legal implications affecting the University and any privacy questions or access requests. If your program has experienced a breach, more information on the steps to take, can be found here​.

13.7 What is the Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act?

The Freedom of Information and Protection Privacy Act is an Act of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario which governs access to information held by Ontario public institutions, such as the university, subject to specific privacy requirements to protect personal information.  Refer to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act page for more information. 

13.8 What happens if my research program is the subject of a Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act request?

There are set rules in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act ​​as to how long a request can take to be processed, when someone can appeal a decision of the university to release or withhold all or part of a record, how much to charge for a request and when a requestor can appeal a fee or time extension. ​Refer to the Legal Services and Privacy Office’s instructions for Processing an Access Request