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							<p>This module has taken you through the steps needed to manage and record research, starting with developing a management checklist, then setting up a research record, and finally properly collecting, storing, protecting and sharing information.</p>
							<p>The activity below is designed to let you test your ability to spot potentially irresponsible behaviour as it might be displayed in a realistic scenario.</p>
							
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							<instructional-text><p>Choose the option most closely tied to your discipline. You will then be taken to a scenario where you will be asked to identify the number of problems you have spotted. At the end of the activity you will be asked to list the problems you have spotted before accessing our feedback.</p></instructional-text>
							<instructional-text-accessible><p>Choose the option most closely tied to your discipline. Then consider a scenario where you will be asked to identify the number of problems you have spotted. At the end of the activity you will be asked to identify all the problems you have noticed before proceeding on to our feedback.</p></instructional-text-accessible>
							
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							<!-- ACTIVITY START -->
							<action-maze show-in-accessible-version="false" restart-label="Main menu" summary="true" variant="notemaking">
								<action-panel panel="0">
									<action-link goto-panel="1"><h3>Natural Science</h3></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="1"><h3>Engineering</h3></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="8"><h3>Arts & Humanities</h3></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="8"><h3>Social Science</h3></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="15"><h3>Biomedical Science</h3></action-link>
								</action-panel>

								<!-- Natural Science / Engineering -->
								<action-panel panel="1" is-white-padded="true">
									<h4>At the start of the project</h4>
									<p>The research team members have gathered to discuss the beginnings of their project. Read the conversation below carefully, and try to spot each example of less-than-responsible behaviour.</p>
									<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"Okay team, our funding has just been approved. We can get to work. How are your preparations looking?"</em></p>
									<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"We're still waiting for the equipment we need to read our results to arrive, but we're not going to get the results overnight. I think we should just get the experiment started in the meantime."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"Yeah, we basically know what data we'll be collecting. For now we can just store the data on a spreadsheet on my laptop."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"Just to bring it up while we're all together, I remember we said we would have a safety plan.</em> [Addressing the PI.] <em>Sorry to bother you with this, but could you check with the health and safety office to see what we need to include? I don't think we should delay it much longer &ndash; T1 will get to some of the riskier work soon."</em></p>
									<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"That's not crucial right now &ndash; we can get to the safety plan next week. We should think about records, though. It might be best if you set time aside at the end of each day to record what you did. Don't worry about keeping a formal laboratory notebook. By the way, I will be away for the next couple of weeks. You can email me with any questions. I will expect an update on how things have progressed when I get back."</em></p>
									<action-link goto-panel="2"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- mcq -->
								<action-panel panel="2" is-white-padded="false">
									<mcq reveal-correct-answer="true" feedback-btn-label="Feedback">
										<mcq-question>How many problems did you spot?</mcq-question>
										<mcq-options>
											<mcq-option incorrect>
												<mcq-answer>1</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option incorrect>
												<mcq-answer>2</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option incorrect>
												<mcq-answer>3</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option incorrect>
												<mcq-answer>4</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option correct>
												<mcq-answer>5 or more</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
										</mcq-options>
										<mcq-feedback>
											<p>In this case, the project is not getting off to a good start. Here are some of the questionable practices on display here:</p>
											<ol>
												<li>Data should not be kept on a personal computer, which might not be secure, properly backed up or validated</li>
												<li>Work should not begin until the team is sure that all the necessary equipment will be available</li>
												<li>The PI should have a safety plan in place before getting the team together</li>
												<li>It is risky to begin a project without a safety plan in place (and, probably, any training)</li>
												<li>If the team members do not keep a proper record of their work, their notes may not be useful for answering questions later</li>
												<li>If questions arise that need a quick response, email is not the best means of communication; the PI should be more available, particularly at the start of the project.</li>
											</ol>
											<p>This scenario illustrates at least five (3 and 4 above could be counted as one) or possibly six less-than-responsible practices. The presence of these questionable research practices does not mean the project will fail. It does, however, increase the chances of failure due to improperly kept data, poor record-keeping and lax safety precautions.</p>
											<p>Let's see how the team is doing two weeks later.</p>
											<action-link goto-panel="3"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
										</mcq-feedback>
									</mcq>
								</action-panel>
								<action-panel panel="3" is-white-padded="true">
									<h4>Two weeks into the project</h4>
									<p>Two weeks later, the team members meet to review their progress; the PI is still away, so T1 leads the discussion. As before, look out for examples of irresponsible behaviour.</p>
									<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"Does anyone know if the recording equipment has arrived?"</em></p>
									<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"It's here but it hasn't been calibrated yet. I don't think that's a problem. We can start taking measurements now and then adjust the numbers later once we have the equipment calibrated."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"Before we start using the equipment, what about that safety training? Do you want me to check with the PI again?"</em></p>
									<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"Don't worry: the equipment comes with instructions that are easy to understand. Besides, we don't have time to get training. We need to stick to the schedule in our research plan."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"That sounds okay. I have the spreadsheet you created so I can combine T1's data with mine pretty easily; that should speed things up."</em></p>
									<action-link goto-panel="4"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- mcq -->
								<action-panel panel="4" is-white-padded="false">
									<mcq reveal-correct-answer="true" feedback-btn-label="Feedback">
										<mcq-question>How many problems did you spot?</mcq-question>
										<mcq-options>
											<mcq-option incorrect>
												<mcq-answer>1</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option incorrect>
												<mcq-answer>2</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option incorrect>
												<mcq-answer>3</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option incorrect>
												<mcq-answer>4</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option correct>
												<mcq-answer>5 or more</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
										</mcq-options>
										<mcq-feedback>
											<p>The team seems to be doing its best under the circumstances, but has made some questionable decisions:</p>
											<ol>
												<li>Calibrating the equipment after taking measurements is not a good idea</li>
												<li>If the equipment raises safety concerns, the team members should have training before using it</li>
												<li>Team members should not undertake work for which they have not been properly trained</li>
												<li>The need to meet deadlines should not take precedence over the need for safety</li>
												<li>Plugging data from one spreadsheet into another makes it difficult to validate the data and ensure its accuracy</li>
												<li>The team should not be making these decisions without checking them with the PI first</li>
												<li>The PI should not have put his team in the position of having to make these decisions without proper supervision.</li>
											</ol>
											<p>Once again, there are at least five less-than-responsible practices illustrated by this scenario.</p>
											<p>From here, we pick up the conversation when the PI has returned and the team is trying to wrap up the first phase of work.</p>
											<action-link goto-panel="5"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
										</mcq-feedback>
									</mcq>
								</action-panel>
								<action-panel panel="5" is-white-padded="true">
									<h4>Five weeks into the project</h4>
									<p>The PI has returned from his time away, and now wants an update from the other researchers working on the project. When reading this scenario, try to apply the insight you have gained from the previous two feedback screens to identify the errors.</p>
									<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"Sorry I didn't keep in touch more while I was away. When you work as a consultant you never know what they are going to ask you to do! Where have you all got to?"</em></p>
									<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"Ah, we didn't know what you'd been up to! You'll be glad to know Phase 1 is finished. I had to make some adjustments to the research plan to get the results we said we would, but with proper calibration of the equipment it looks like everything fits with our predictions. I also uploaded our data onto the online project registration record we created when we found out we'd got funding. We are already getting some great comments and feedback."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"I entered all the adjusted data into my spreadsheet, so everything is now securely on my laptop."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"T2 also sent me her spreadsheet, which I have merged with the data I am keeping on the related work we are doing. This gives us another backup if we need it. We now have a safety plan and will get our required training next week."</em></p>
									<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"You've all made great progress. As soon as I check with the group I consult with to make sure we can share this information, we can work on the analysis and start drafting a publication."</em></p>
									<action-link goto-panel="6"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- notemaking -->
								<action-panel panel="6" is-white-padded="false">
									<note-making summary="false">
										<note-question><p>Please use the space below to list all of the problems you found with the previous scenario.</p></note-question>
										<note-input></note-input>
										<note-feedback>
											<p>The team has made progress, but has also made some questionable decisions and seems to be unaware of some potential problems:</p>
											<ol>
												<li>T1 should have, at the very least, checked with the PI before changing the research plan; there might be legitimate reasons to change something, but changing the plan to get the predicted results could invalidate the experiment</li>
												<li>T1 also seems to be judging 'proper calibration' on the ability to produce desired results rather than independently determining whether the equipment is working properly</li>
												<li>T2 should be storing the raw data as well as adjusted data</li>
												<li>With T3 now storing the data as well, the team does not have one authoritative data source, which could present problems</li>
												<li>It's great that the safety plan is in place, but the safety training should have taken place before any work started</li>
												<li>T1 should have checked to make sure the data could be shared on the project registry site</li>
												<li>The PI apparently failed to inform his team about his consulting work and the possible restrictions on sharing the information collected</li>
												<li>The PI also seems to be starting the publication process without any clear sense of responsibilities and credits.</li>
											</ol>
											<p>How important are these issues, and what might their ramifications be?</p>
											<action-link goto-panel="7"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
										</note-feedback>
									</note-making>
								</action-panel>
								<action-panel panel="7" is-white-padded="true">
									<h4>Conclusion</h4>
									<p>If the team is lucky, none of the less-than-responsible practices covered here will turn out to be so-called 'fatal flaws' (i.e. issues that invalidate the research); however, any one of them could lead to serious problems.</p>
									<p>The PI has left too many details to his team and has failed to ensure the team members have proper training. The team members are making decisions without fully understanding their consequences. In particular, they are not creating a proper research record to document their work. Some of the decisions they have made could introduce bias or inaccurate data into their research. If anyone challenges their work, they might find it difficult to explain, let alone validate, what they have done.</p>
									<p>When you conduct research, set higher standards than this research team. Know your responsibilities and then carry out your research accordingly.</p>
								</action-panel>

								<!-- Arts & Humanities / Social Science -->
								<action-panel panel="8" is-white-padded="true">
									<h4>At the start of the project</h4>
									<p>The research team members have gathered to discuss the beginnings of their project. Read the conversation below carefully, and try to spot each example of less-than-responsible behaviour.</p>
									<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"Okay team, our funding has just been approved. We can get to work. How are your preparations looking?"</em></p>
									<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"We're still waiting for the ethics approvals we need to start recruiting participants, but the committee hasn't got back to us on our amendments yet. I think we should just get the survey started in the meantime."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"Yeah, we basically know what the survey format will be and it's only a low-risk ethics application. I think we can safely start advertising for participants. The new iPads have not arrived yet either. For now we can just store the data on a spreadsheet on my personal laptop."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"Just to bring it up while we're all together, I remember we said we would have a health and safety plan for when we are visiting participants in their homes.</em> [Addressing the PI.] <em>Sorry to bother you with this, but could you check with the health and safety office to see what we need to include? I don't think we should delay it much longer &ndash; T1 will get to some of the riskier work soon."</em></p>
									<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"That's not crucial right now &ndash; we can get to the safety plan next week, since the risks involved aren't that serious. We should think about records, though. It might be best if you set time aside at the end of each day to record what you did. Don't worry about keeping a formal notebook. By the way, I will be away for the next couple of weeks. You can email me with any questions. I will expect an update on how things have progressed when I get back."</em></p>
									<action-link goto-panel="9"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<action-panel panel="9">
									<mcq reveal-correct-answer="true" feedback-btn-label="Feedback">
										<mcq-question><strong>How many problems did you spot?</strong></mcq-question>
										<mcq-options>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>1</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>2</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>3</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>4</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option correct>
												<mcq-answer>5 or more</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
										</mcq-options> 
										<mcq-feedback>
											<p>In this case, the project is not getting off to a good start. Here are some of the questionable practices on display here:</p>
											<ol>
												<li>Research should not commence before ethics approval has been finalised, even if it is low-risk human research</li>
												<li>Data should not be kept on a personal computer, which might not be secure, properly backed up or validated</li>
												<li>Work should not begin until the team is sure that all the necessary equipment will be available</li>
												<li>The PI should have a safety plan in place before getting the team together</li>
												<li>It is risky to begin a project without a safety plan in place (and, probably, any training)</li>
												<li>If the team members do not keep a proper record of their work, their notes may not be useful for answering questions later</li>
												<li>If questions arise that need a quick response, email is not the best means of communication; the PI should be more available, particularly at the start of the project.</li>
											</ol>
											<p>This scenario illustrates at least six (4 and 5 above could be counted as one) or possibly seven less-than-responsible practices. The presence of these questionable research practices does not mean the project will fail. It does, however, increase the chances of failure due to improperly kept data, poor record-keeping and lax safety precautions.</p>
											<p>Let's see how the team is doing two weeks later.</p>
											<action-link goto-panel="10"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
										</mcq-feedback>
									</mcq>
								</action-panel>
								<action-panel panel="10" is-white-padded="true">
									<h4>Two weeks into the project</h4>
									<p>Two weeks later, the team members meet to review their progress; the PI is still away, so T1 leads the discussion. As before, look out for examples of irresponsible behaviour.</p>
									<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"Does anyone know if the iPads have arrived?"</em></p>
									<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"Yes, but they haven't been set up for the survey yet."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"Before we start using the iPads have we got the ethics approval yet? It's not really worth it until we have the final approved survey. And we don't have the health and safety office  approval either. Do you want me to check with the PI again?"</em></p>
									<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"Don't worry: as we already said it's a low-risk survey and the ethics committee probably won't make any changes. Besides, we don't have time to wait. We need to stick to the schedule in our research plan."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"That sounds okay. I have the spreadsheet you created so I can combine T1's data with mine pretty easily; that should speed things up."</em></p>
									<action-link goto-panel="11"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<action-panel panel="11">
									<mcq reveal-correct-answer="true" feedback-btn-label="Feedback">
										<mcq-question><strong>How many problems did you spot?</strong></mcq-question>
										<mcq-options>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>1</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>2</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>3</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>4</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option correct>
												<mcq-answer>5 or more</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
										</mcq-options> 
										<mcq-feedback>
											<p>The team seems to be doing its best under the circumstances, but has made some questionable decisions:</p>
											<ol>
												<li>Commencing the survey without agreed approved questions is not a good idea, apart from the critical requirement to have approval from the research ethics committee</li>
												<li>Visits to participants in their own homes require a safety plan</li>
												<li>The need to meet deadlines should not take precedence over the need for meeting ethics requirements</li>
												<li>Plugging data from one spreadsheet into another makes it difficult to validate the data and ensure its accuracy</li>
												<li>The team should not be making these decisions without checking them with the PI first</li>
												<li>The PI should not have put his team in the position of having to make these decisions without proper supervision.</li>
											</ol>
											<p>Once again, there are at least five less-than-responsible practices illustrated by this scenario.</p>
											<p>From here, we pick up the conversation when the PI has returned and the team is trying to wrap up the first phase of work.</p>
											<action-link goto-panel="12"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
										</mcq-feedback>
									</mcq>
								</action-panel>
								<action-panel panel="12" is-white-padded="true">
									<h4>Five weeks into the project</h4>
									<p>The PI has returned from his time away, and now wants an update from the other researchers working on the project. When reading this scenario, try to apply the insight you have gained from the previous two feedback screens to identify the errors.</p>
									<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"Sorry I didn't keep in touch more while I was away. When you work as a consultant you never know what they are going to ask you to do! Where have you all got to?"</em></p>
									<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"Ah, we didn't know what you'd been up to! You'll be glad to know Phase 1 is finished. We recruited and interviewed about half the participants before the ethics approval arrived. We had to alter a couple of the questions on the survey as a result but we should be able to adapt the first set of answers to meet the changed questions. The first set of data is all paper-based but once we had the final questions we could start collecting on the iPads. I uploaded the data to our group chat site &ndash; we are getting a lot of comments on what it might mean."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"I entered all the adjusted data into my spreadsheet, so everything is now securely on my laptop."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"T2 also sent me her spreadsheet, which I have merged with the data I am keeping on the related work we are doing. This gives us another backup if we need it. We now have a safety plan and will review our interview procedures accordingly."</em></p>
									<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"You've all made great progress. As soon as I check with the group I consult with to make sure we can share this information, we can work on the analysis and start drafting a publication."</em></p>
									<action-link goto-panel="13"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<action-panel panel="13">
									<note-making summary="false">
										<note-question><p>Please use the space below to list all of the problems you found with the previous scenario.</p></note-question>
										<note-input></note-input>
										<note-feedback>
											<p>The team has made progress, but has also made some questionable decisions and seems to be unaware of some potential problems:</p>
											<ol>
												<li>All the data collected before ethics approval arrived is invalid and most certainly should not be adapted and merged with data collected after approval to meet the approved survey questions</li>
												<li>T2 should be storing the raw data as well as adjusted data</li>
												<li>With T3 now storing the data as well, the team does not have one authoritative data source, which could present problems</li>
												<li>It's great that the safety plan is in place, but the safety assessment and training should have taken place before any work started</li>
												<li>T1 should not have shared human data on their group chat site if it is not secured; the team should all be aware of the requirements for managing human research data</li>
												<li>The PI apparently failed to inform his team about his consulting work and the possible restrictions on sharing the information collected</li>
												<li>The PI also seems to be starting the publication process without any clear sense of responsibilities and credits.</li>
											</ol>
											<p>How important are these issues, and what might their ramifications be?</p>
											<action-link goto-panel="14"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
										</note-feedback>
									</note-making>
								</action-panel>
								<action-panel panel="14" is-white-padded="true">
									<h4>Conclusion</h4>
									<p>Commencing research without ethics approval in place, even when low risk, is usually in breach of university policy and may even be considered to be research misconduct. Any data collected without this approval is wasted data and, more importantly, it is unethical to collect it. Further, the other flaws in the team's preparation and execution would result in unreliable data as well as data being used and stored in a way that is insecure and in breach of ethics requirements. </p>
									<p>The PI has left too many details to his team and has failed to ensure the team members have proper training. The team members are making decisions without fully understanding their consequences. In particular, they are not creating a proper research record to document their work. Some of the decisions they have made could introduce bias or inaccurate data into their research. If anyone challenges their work, they might find it difficult to explain, let alone validate, what they have done.</p>
									<p>When you conduct research, set higher standards than this research team. Know your responsibilities and then carry out your research accordingly.</p>
								</action-panel>
								
								<!-- Biomedical Science -->
								<action-panel panel="15" is-white-padded="true">
									<h4>At the start of the project</h4>
									<p>The research team members have gathered to discuss the beginnings of their project. Read the conversation below carefully, and try to spot each example of less-than-responsible behaviour.</p>
									<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"Okay team, our funding has just been approved. We can get to work. How are your preparations looking?"</em></p>
									<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"We're still waiting for the equipment we need to read our results to arrive, but we're not going to get the results overnight. I think we should just get the experiment started in the meantime."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"Yeah, we basically know what data we'll be collecting. For now we can just store the data on a spreadsheet on my personal laptop."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"Just to bring it up while we're all together, I remember we said we would need to speak with our safety officer before applying for a permit to work with genetically modified organisms (GMOs).</em> [Addressing the PI.] <em>Sorry to bother you with this, but could you consult with the safety officer to see what we need to include in our application? I don't think we should delay it much longer &ndash; T1 will get to some of the riskier work soon."</em></p>
									<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"That's not crucial right now &ndash; I think our work would be classified as low risk under the relevant policy. We can meet with the safety officer next week and worry about the permit then. We should think about records, though. It might be best if you set time aside at the end of each day to record what you did. Don't worry too much yet about keeping a formal laboratory notebook &ndash; we need to arrange to have access to our own project digital research notebook. Just start off with a hard-copy lab book &ndash; we can transfer the data across once we have our digital record set up. By the way, I will be away for the next couple of weeks. You can email me with any questions."</em></p>
									<action-link goto-panel="16"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<action-panel panel="16">
									<mcq reveal-correct-answer="true" feedback-btn-label="Feedback">
										<mcq-question><strong>How many problems did you spot?</strong></mcq-question>
										<mcq-options>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>1</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>2</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>3</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>4</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option correct>
												<mcq-answer>5 or more</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
										</mcq-options> 
										<mcq-feedback>
											<p>In this case, the project is not getting off to a good start. Here are some of the questionable practices on display here:</p>
											<ol>
												<li>Data should not be kept on a personal computer, which might not be secure, properly backed up or validated</li>
												<li>Work should not begin until the team is sure that all the necessary equipment will be available</li>
												<li>The PI should have met with the safety officer before getting the team together and should have submitted an application to work with GMOs before work commenced</li>
												<li>It is risky to begin a project without a safety plan in place (and, probably, any training)</li>
												<li>If the team members do not keep a proper record of their work, their notes may not be useful for answering questions later</li>
												<li>If questions arise that need a quick response, email is not the best means of communication; the PI should be more available, particularly at the start of the project.</li>
											</ol>
											<p>This scenario illustrates at least five (3 and 4 above could be counted as one) or possibly six less-than-responsible practices. The presence of these questionable research practices does not mean the project will fail. It does, however, increase the chances of failure due to improperly kept data, poor record-keeping and lax safety precautions in regard to GMOs.</p>
											<p>Let's see how the team is doing two weeks later.</p>
											<action-link goto-panel="17"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
										</mcq-feedback>
									</mcq>
								</action-panel>
								<action-panel panel="17" is-white-padded="true">
									<h4>Two weeks into the project</h4>
									<p>Two weeks later, the team members meet to review their progress; the PI is still away, so T1 leads the discussion. As before, look out for examples of irresponsible behaviour.</p>
									<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"Does anyone know if the recording equipment has arrived?"</em></p>
									<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"It's here but it hasn't been calibrated yet. I don't think that's a problem. We can start taking measurements now and then adjust the numbers later once we have the equipment calibrated."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"Before we start using the equipment, what about talking to the safety officer about the GMO application? Do you want me to check with the PI again?"</em></p>
									<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"Don't worry: the equipment comes with instructions that are easy to understand. Our PI said the GMOs will probably be considered low risk, so the application process should be straightforward. It's important that we stick to the schedule in our research plan, so we shouldn't delay things needlessly."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"That sounds okay. I have the spreadsheet you created so I can combine T1's data with mine pretty easily; that should speed things up."</em></p>
									<action-link goto-panel="18"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<action-panel panel="18">
									<mcq reveal-correct-answer="true" feedback-btn-label="Feedback">
										<mcq-question><strong>How many problems did you spot?</strong></mcq-question>
										<mcq-options>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>1</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>2</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>3</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option neutral>
												<mcq-answer>4</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
											<mcq-option correct>
												<mcq-answer>5 or more</mcq-answer>
											</mcq-option>
										</mcq-options> 
										<mcq-feedback>
											<p>The team seems to be doing its best under the circumstances, but has made some questionable decisions:</p>
											<ol>
												<li>Calibrating the equipment after taking measurements is an unacceptable practice</li>
												<li>Team members should not undertake work for which they have not been properly trained</li>
												<li>Team members should not undertake work for which they do not yet have institutional approval</li>
												<li>The need to meet deadlines should not take precedence over the need for safety</li>
												<li>Plugging data from one spreadsheet into another makes it difficult to validate the data and ensure its accuracy</li>
												<li>The team should not be making these decisions without checking them with the PI first</li>
												<li>The PI should not have put his team in the position of having to make these decisions without proper supervision.</li>
											</ol>
											<p>Once again, there are at least five less-than-responsible practices illustrated by this scenario.</p>
											<p>From here, we pick up the conversation when the PI has returned and the team is trying to wrap up the first phase of work.</p>
											<action-link goto-panel="19"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
										</mcq-feedback>
									</mcq>
								</action-panel>
								<action-panel panel="19" is-white-padded="true">
									<h4>Five weeks into the project</h4>
									<p>The PI has returned from his time away, and now wants an update from the other researchers working on the project. When reading this scenario, try to apply the insight you have gained from the previous two feedback screens to identify the errors.</p>
									<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"Sorry I didn't keep in touch more while I was away. When you work as a consultant you never know what they are going to ask you to do! Where have you all got to?"</em></p>
									<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"Ah, we didn't know what you'd been up to! You'll be glad to know Phase 1 is finished. I had to make some adjustments to the research plan to get the results we said we would, but with proper calibration of the equipment it looks like everything fits with our predictions. I also uploaded our data onto the digital research notebook we created in week three &ndash; I had to put it in my name because you were not here to authorise it. I know you hold the grant, but I thought it was a practical solution at the time."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"I entered all the adjusted data into my spreadsheet, so everything is now securely on my laptop as well as the digital research notebook. My laptop record will hold all the data."</em></p>
									<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"T2 also sent me her spreadsheet, which I have merged with the data I am keeping on the related work we are doing. This gives us another backup if we need it. I'll upload that to the digital record as well. We spoke to the safety officer and will hopefully get the GMO approval we require next week. We didn't actually tell them we had already started, but we figured that would be okay."</em></p>
									<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"You've all made great progress. As soon as I check with the group I consult with to make sure we can share this information, we can work on the analysis and start drafting a publication."</em></p>
									<action-link goto-panel="20"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<action-panel panel="20">
									<note-making summary="false">
										<note-question><p>Please use the space below to list all of the problems you found with the previous scenario.</p></note-question>
										<note-input></note-input>
										<note-feedback>
											<p>The team has made progress, but has also made some questionable decisions and seems to be unaware of some potential problems:</p>
											<ol>
												<li>T1 should have, at the very least, checked with the PI before changing the research plan; there might be legitimate reasons to change something, but changing the plan to get the predicted results will invalidate the experiment</li>
												<li>T1 also seems to be judging 'proper calibration' on the ability to produce desired results rather than independently determining whether the equipment is working properly</li>
												<li>T2 should be storing the raw data as well as the adjusted data in the digital research notebook as the primary storage repository for all data and notes relating to the conduct of this experiment; the personal laptop should only be used for transportation purposes</li>
												<li>With T3 now storing the data as well, the team does not have one authoritative data source, which could present problems</li>
												<li>It's great that the GMO approval has been applied for, but this should have been in place before any work started; the team has started work under the assumption that they will receive the approval they need, which may not be the case</li>
												<li>The PI apparently failed to inform his team about his consulting work and the possible restrictions on sharing the information collected</li>
												<li>The PI also seems to be starting the publication process without any clear sense of responsibilities and credits.</li>
											</ol>
											<p>How important are these issues, and what might their ramifications be?</p>
											<action-link goto-panel="21"><h3>Next</h3></action-link>
										</note-feedback>
									</note-making>
								</action-panel>
								<action-panel panel="21" is-white-padded="true">
									<h4>Conclusion</h4>
									<p>Commencing research involving GMOs without first ensuring the necessary approvals are in place, even when the project is low risk, is illegal in the UK. The primary piece of legislation governing this is the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2014, which stipulates that projects must first be reviewed and approved by a registered Genetic Modification Safety Committee (GMSC). As a result, the researchers would be guilty of research misconduct if they pressed ahead without the legally required approval. Furthermore, any data collected without the right approvals in place is unusable and therefore wasted &ndash; it is unethical and even unsafe to collect it.</p>
									<p>The other flaws in the team's preparation and execution would result in unreliable data, as well as data being used and stored in a way that is insecure and in breach of best practice.</p>
									<p>The PI has left too many details to his team and has failed to ensure the team members have proper training. The team members are making decisions without fully understanding their consequences. In particular, they are not creating a proper research record to document their work. Some of the decisions they have made could introduce bias or inaccurate data into their research. If anyone challenges their work, they might find it difficult to explain, let alone validate, what they have done.</p>
									<p>When you conduct research, set higher standards than this research team. Familiarise yourself with your responsibilities, and then carry out your research accordingly.</p>
								</action-panel>
							</action-maze>
							<!-- ACCESSIBLE START -->
							<accessible-block>
								<ul>
									<li><strong>Natural Science</strong> [Proceed to Option 1]</li>
									<li><strong>Engineering</strong> [Proceed to Option 1]</li>
									<li><strong>Arts & Humanities</strong> [Proceed to Option 2}</li>
									<li><strong>Social Science</strong> [Proceed to Option 2]</li>
									<li><strong>Biomedical Science</strong> [Proceed to Option 3]</li>
								</ul>
								<hr>
								<h3>OPTION ONE &ndash; Natural Science/Engineering</h3>
								<h4>At the start of the project</h4>
								<p>The research team members have gathered to discuss the beginnings of their project. Work through the conversation below and try to spot each example of less-than-responsible behaviour.</p>
								<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"Okay team, our funding has just been approved. We can get to work. How are your preparations looking?"</em></p>
								<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"We're still waiting for the equipment we need to read our results to arrive, but we're not going to get the results overnight. I think we should just get the experiment started in the meantime."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"Yeah, we basically know what data we'll be collecting. For now we can just store the data on a spreadsheet on my laptop."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"Just to bring it up while we're all together, I remember we said we would have a safety plan.</em> [Addressing the PI.] <em>Sorry to bother you with this, but could you check with the health and safety office to see what we need to include? I don't think we should delay it much longer &ndash; T1 will get to some of the riskier work soon."</em></p>
								<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"That's not crucial right now &ndash; we can get to the safety plan next week. We should think about records, though. It might be best if you set time aside at the end of each day to record what you did. Don't worry about keeping a formal laboratory notebook. By the way, I will be away for the next couple of weeks. You can email me with any questions. I will expect an update on how things have progressed when I get back."</em></p>
								<hr>
								<h4><strong>Question 1:</strong> How many problems did you spot?</h4>
								<ul>
									<li>1</li>
									<li>2</li>
									<li>3</li>
									<li>4</li>
									<li>5 or more</li>
								</ul>
								<h4>Feedback:</h4>
								<p>In this case, the project is not getting off to a good start. Here are some of the questionable practices on display here:</p>
								<ol>
									<li>Data should not be kept on a personal computer, which might not be secure, properly backed up or validated</li>
									<li>Work should not begin until the team is sure that all the necessary equipment will be available</li>
									<li>The PI should have a safety plan in place before getting the team together</li>
									<li>It is risky to begin a project without a safety plan in place (and, probably, any training)</li>
									<li>If the team members do not keep a proper record of their work, their notes may not be useful for answering questions later</li>
									<li>If questions arise that need a quick response, email is not the best means of communication. The PI should be more available, particularly at the start of the project.</li>
								</ol>
								<p>This scenario illustrates at least five (3 and 4 above could be counted as one) or possibly six less-than-responsible practices. The presence of these questionable research practices does not mean the project will fail. It does, however, increase the chances of failure due to improperly kept data, poor record keeping and lax safety precautions.</p>
								<p>Let's see how the team is doing two weeks later.</p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Two weeks into the project</h4>
								<p>Two weeks later, the team members meet to review their progress; the PI is still away, so T1 leads the discussion. As before, look out for examples of irresponsible behaviour.</p>
								<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"Does anyone know if the recording equipment has arrived?"</em></p>
								<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"It's here but it hasn't been calibrated yet. I don't think that's a problem. We can start taking measurements now and then adjust the numbers later once we have the equipment calibrated."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"Before we start using the equipment, what about that safety training? Do you want me to check with the PI again?"</em></p>
								<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"Don't worry: the equipment comes with instructions that are easy to understand. Besides, we don't have time to get training. We need to stick to the schedule in our research plan."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"That sounds okay. I have the spreadsheet you created so I can combine T1's data with mine pretty easily; that should speed things up."</em></p>
								<hr>
								<h4><strong>Question 2:</strong> How many problems did you spot?</h4>
								<ul>
									<li>1</li>
									<li>2</li>
									<li>3</li>
									<li>4</li>
									<li>5 or more</li>
								</ul>
								<h4>Feedback:</h4>
								<p>The team seems to be doing its best under the circumstances, but has made some questionable decisions:</p>
								<ol>
									<li>Calibrating the equipment after taking measurements is an unacceptable practice</li>
									<li>If the equipment raises safety concerns, the team members should have training before using it</li>
									<li>Team members should not undertake work for which they have not been properly trained</li>
									<li>The need to meet deadlines should not take precedence over the need for safety</li>
									<li>Plugging data from one spreadsheet into another makes it difficult to validate the data and ensure its accuracy</li>
									<li>The team should not be making these decisions without checking them with the PI first</li>
									<li>The PI should not have put his team in the position of having to make these decisions without proper supervision.</li>
								</ol>
								<p>Once again, there are at least five less-than-responsible practices illustrated by this scenario.</p>
								<p>From here, we pick up the conversation when the PI has returned and the team is trying to wrap up the first phase of work.</p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Five weeks into the project</h4>
								<p>The PI has returned from his time away, and now wants an update from the other researchers working on the project. When reflecting on this scenario, try to apply the insight you have gained from the previous feedback to identify the errors.</p>
								<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"Sorry I didn't keep in touch more while I was away. When you work as a consultant you never know what they are going to ask you to do! Where have you all got to?"</em></p>
								<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"Ah, we didn't know what you'd been up to! You'll be glad to know Phase 1 is finished. I had to make some adjustments to the research plan to get the results we said we would, but with proper calibration of the equipment it looks like everything fits with our predictions. I also uploaded our data onto the online project registration record we created when we found out we'd got funding. We are already getting some great comments and feedback."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"I entered all the adjusted data into my spreadsheet, so everything is now securely on my laptop."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"T2 also sent me her spreadsheet, which I have merged with the data I am keeping on the related work we are doing. This gives us another backup if we need it. We now have a safety plan and will get our required training next week."</em></p>
								<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"You've all made great progress. As soon as I check with the group I consult with to make sure we can share this information, we can work on the analysis and start drafting a publication."</em></p>
								<hr>
								<h4><strong>Question 3:</strong> Please take some time to reflect on all of the problems you found with the previous scenario. Then continue on for our feedback.</h4>
								<h4>Feedback:</h4>
								<p>The team has made progress, but has also made some questionable decisions and seems to be unaware of some potential problems:</p>
								<ol>
									<li>T1 should have, at the very least, checked with the PI before changing the research plan. There might be legitimate reasons to change something, but changing the plan to get the predicted results could invalidate the experiment</li>
									<li>T1 also seems to be judging 'proper calibration' on the ability to produce desired results rather than independently determining whether the equipment is working properly</li>
									<li>T2 should be storing the raw data as well as adjusted data</li>
									<li>With T3 now storing the data as well, the team does not have one authoritative data source, which could present problems</li>
									<li>It's great that the safety plan is in place, but the safety training should have taken place before any work started</li>
									<li>T1 should have checked to make sure the data could be shared on the project registry site</li>
									<li>The PI apparently failed to inform his team about his consulting work and the possible restrictions on sharing the information collected</li>
									<li>The PI also seems to be starting the publication process without any clear sense of responsibilities and credits.</li>
								</ol>
								<p>How important are these issues, and what might their ramifications be?</p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Conclusion</h4>
								<p>If the team is lucky, none of the less-than-responsible practices covered here will turn out to be so-called "fatal flaws" (i.e. issues that invalidate the research); however, any one of them could lead to serious problems.</p>
								<p>The PI has left too many details to his team and has failed to ensure the team members have proper training. The team members are making decisions without fully understanding their consequences. In particular, they are not creating a proper research record to document their work. Some of the decisions they have made could introduce bias or inaccurate data into their research. If anyone challenges their work, they might find it difficult to explain, let alone validate, what they have done.</p>
								<p>When you conduct research, set higher standards than this research team. Know your responsibilities and then carry out your research accordingly.</p>
								<hr>
								<h3>OPTION TWO &ndash; Arts & Humanities/Social Science</h3>
								<h4>At the start of the project</h4>
								<p>The research team members have gathered to discuss the beginnings of their project. Reflect on the conversation that follows, and try to spot each example of less-than-responsible behaviour.</p>
								<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"Okay team, our funding has just been approved. We can get to work. How are your preparations looking?"</em></p>
								<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"We're still waiting for the ethics approvals we need to start recruiting participants, but the committee hasn't got back to us on our amendments yet. I think we should just get the experiment started in the meantime."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"Yeah, we basically know what the survey format will be and it's only a low-risk ethics application. I think we can safely start advertising for participants. The new iPads have not arrived yet either. For now we can just store the data on a spreadsheet on my personal laptop."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"Just to bring it up while we're all together, I remember we said we would have a health and safety plan for when we are visiting participants in their homes.</em> [Addressing the PI.] <em>Sorry to bother you with this, but could you check with the health and safety office to see what we need to include? I don't think we should delay it much longer &ndash; T1 will get to some of the riskier work soon."</em></p>
								<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"That's not crucial right now &ndash; we can get to the safety plan next week, since the risks involved aren't that serious. We should think about records, though. It might be best if you set time aside at the end of each day to record what you did. Don't worry about keeping a formal laboratory notebook. By the way, I will be away for the next couple of weeks. You can email me with any questions. I will expect an update on how things have progressed when I get back."</em></p>
								<hr>
								<h4><strong>Question 1:</strong> How many problems did you spot?</h4>
								<ul>
									<li>1</li>
									<li>2</li>
									<li>3</li>
									<li>4</li>
									<li>5 or more</li>
								</ul>
								<h4>Feedback:</h4>
								<p>In this case, the project is not getting off to a good start. Here are some of the questionable practices on display here:</p>
								<ol>
									<li>Research should not commence before ethics approval has been finalised, even if it is low-risk human research</li>
									<li>Data should not be kept on a personal computer, which might not be secure, properly backed up or validated</li>
									<li>Work should not begin until the team is sure that all the necessary equipment will be available</li>
									<li>The PI should have a safety plan in place before getting the team together</li>
									<li>It is risky to begin a project without a safety plan in place (and, probably, any training)</li>
									<li>If the team members do not keep a proper record of their work, their notes may not be useful for answering questions later</li>
									<li>If questions arise that need a quick response, email is not the best means of communication. The PI should be more available, particularly at the start of the project.</li>
								</ol>
								<p>This scenario illustrates at least five (3 and 4 above could be counted as one) or possibly six less-than-responsible practices. The presence of these questionable research practices does not mean the project will fail. It does, however, increase the chances of failure due to improperly kept data, poor record keeping and lax safety precautions.</p>
								<p>Let's see how the team is doing two weeks later.</p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Two weeks into the project</h4>
								<p>Two weeks later, the team members meet to review their progress; the PI is still away, so T1 leads the discussion. As before, look out for examples of irresponsible behaviour.</p>
								<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"Does anyone know if the iPads have arrived?"</em></p>
								<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"Yes, but they haven't been set up for the survey yet."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"Before we start using the iPads have we go the ethics approval yet? It's not really worth it until we have the final approved survey. And we don't have the health and safety office approval either. Do you want me to check with the PI again?"</em></p>
								<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"Don't worry: as we already said it's a low-risk survey and the ethics committee probably won't make any changes. Besides, we don't have time to wait. We need to stick to the schedule in our research plan."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"That sounds okay. I have the spreadsheet you created so I can combine T1's data with mine pretty easily; that should speed things up."</em></p>
								<hr>
								<h4><strong>Question 2:</strong> How many problems did you spot?</h4>
								<ul>
									<li>1</li>
									<li>2</li>
									<li>3</li>
									<li>4</li>
									<li>5 or more</li>
								</ul>
								<h4>Feedback:</h4>
								<p>The team seems to be doing its best under the circumstances, but has made some questionable decisions:</p>
								<ol>
									<li>Commencing the survey without agreed approved questions is not a good idea, apart from the critical requirement to have approval from the research ethics committee</li>
									<li>Visiting participants in their own homes needs a safety plan</li>
									<li>The need to meet deadlines should not take precedence over the need for meeting ethics requirements</li>
									<li>Plugging data from one spreadsheet into another makes it difficult to validate the data and ensure its accuracy</li>
									<li>The team should not be making these decisions without checking them with the PI first</li>
									<li>The PI should not have put his team in the position of having to make these decisions without proper supervision.</li>
								</ol>
								<p>Once again, there are at least five less-than-responsible practices illustrated by this scenario.</p>
								<p>From here, we pick up the conversation when the PI has returned and the team is trying to wrap up the first phase of work.</p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Five weeks into the project</h4>
								<p>The PI has returned from his time away, and now wants an update from the other researchers working on the project. When reading this scenario, try to apply the insight you have gained from the previous two feedback screens to identify the errors.</p>
								<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"Sorry I didn't keep in touch more while I was away. When you work as a consultant you never know what they are going to ask you to do! Where have you all got to?"</em></p>
								<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"Ah, we didn't know what you'd been up to! You'll be glad to know Phase 1 is finished. We recruited and interviewed about half the participants before the ethics approval arrived. We had to alter a couple of the questions on the survey as a result but we should be able to adapt the first set of answers to meet the changed questions. The first set of data is all paper-based but once we had the final questions we could start collecting on the iPads. I uploaded the data to our group chat site &ndash; we are getting a lot of comments on what it might mean."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"I entered all the adjusted data into my spreadsheet, so everything is now securely on my laptop."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"T2 also sent me her spreadsheet, which I have merged with the data I am keeping on the related work we are doing. This gives us another backup if we need it. We now have a safety plan and will review our interview procedures accordingly."</em></p>
								<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"You've all made great progress. As soon as I check with the group I consult with to make sure we can share this information, we can work on the analysis and start drafting a publication."</em></p>
								<p>Make a note of all of the problems you found with the previous scenario, then continue for feedback.</p>
								<hr>
								<h4><strong>Question 3:</strong> Please take some time to reflect on all of the problems you found with the previous scenario. Then continue on for our feedback.</h4>
								<h4>Feedback:</h4>
								<p>The team has made progress, but has also made some questionable decisions and seems to be unaware of some potential problems:</p>
								<ol>
									<li>All the data collected before ethics approval arrived is invalid and most certainly should not be adapted and merged with data collected after approval to meet the approved survey questions</li>
									<li>T2 should be storing the raw data as well as adjusted data</li>
									<li>With T3 now storing the data as well, the team does not have one authoritative data source, which could present problems</li>
									<li>It's great that the safety plan is in place, but the safety assessment and training should have taken place before any work started</li>
									<li>T1 should not have shared human data on their group chat site if it is not secured</li>
									<li>The PI apparently failed to inform his team about his consulting work and the possible restrictions on sharing the information collected. The team should all be aware of the requirements for managing human research data</li>
									<li>The PI also seems to be starting the publication process without any clear sense of responsibilities and credits.</li>
								</ol>
								<p>How important are these issues, and what might their ramifications be?</p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Conclusion</h4>
								<p>Commencing research without ethics approval in place, even when low-risk, is in breach of the Code and the National Statement on Human Research and may even be considered to be a serious breach or research misconduct. Any data collected without this approval is wasted data and, more importantly, it is unethical to collect it. Further, the other flaws in the team's preparation and execution would result in unreliable data as well as data being used and stored in a way that is unsecure and in breath of ethics requirements.</p>
								<p>The PI has left too many details to his team and has failed to ensure the team members have proper training. The team members are making decisions without fully understanding their consequences. In particular, they are not creating a proper research record to document their work. Some of the decisions they have made could introduce bias or inaccurate data into their research. If anyone challenges their work, they might find it difficult to explain, let alone validate, what they have done.</p>
								<p>When you conduct research, set higher standards than this research team. Know your responsibilities and then carry out your research accordingly.</p>
								<hr>
								<h3>OPTION THREE &ndash; Biomedical Science</h3>
								<h4>At the start of the project</h4>
								<p>The research team members have gathered to discuss the beginnings of their project. Reflect on the  conversation that follows, and try to spot each example of less-than-responsible behaviour.</p>
								<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"Okay team, our funding has just been approved. We can get to work. How are your preparations looking?"</em></p>
								<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"We're still waiting for the equipment we need to read our results to arrive, but we're not going to get the results overnight. I think we should just get the experiment started in the meantime."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"Yeah, we basically know what data we'll be collecting. For now we can just store the data on a spreadsheet on my personal laptop."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"Just to bring it up while we're all together, I remember we said we would need to speak with our safety officer before applying for a permit to work with genetically modified organisms (GMOs). [Addressing the PI.] Sorry to bother you with this, but could you consult with the safety officer to see what we need to include in our application? I don't think we should delay it much longer &ndash; T1 will get to some of the riskier work soon."</em></p>
								<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"That's not crucial right now &ndash; I think our work would be classified as low risk under the relevant policy. We can meet with the safety officer next week and worry about the permit then. We should think about records, though. It might be best if you set time aside at the end of each day to record what you did. Don't worry too much yet about keeping a formal laboratory notebook &ndash; we need to arrange to have access to our own project digital research notebook. Just start off with a hard-copy lab book &ndash; we can transfer the data across once we have our digital record set up. By the way, I will be away for the next couple of weeks. You can email me with any questions."</em></p>
								<hr>
								<h4><strong>Question 1:</strong> How many problems did you spot?</h4>
								<ul>
									<li>1</li>
									<li>2</li>
									<li>3</li>
									<li>4</li>
									<li>5 or more</li>
								</ul>
								<h4>Feedback:</h4>
								<p>In this case, the project is not getting off to a good start. Here are some of the questionable practices on display here:</p>
								<ol>
									<li>Data should not be kept on a personal computer, which might not be secure, properly backed up or validated</li>
									<li>Work should not begin until the team is sure that all the necessary equipment will be available</li>
									<li>The PI should have met with the safety officer before getting the team together and should have submitted an application to work with GMOs before work commenced</li>
									<li>It is risky to begin a project without a safety plan in place (and, probably, any training)</li>
									<li>If the team members do not keep a proper record of their work, their notes may not be useful for answering questions later</li>
									<li>If questions arise that need a quick response, email is not the best means of communication. The PI should be more available, particularly at the start of the project.</li>
								</ol>
								<p>This scenario illustrates at least five (3 and 4 above could be counted as one) or possibly six less-than-responsible practices. The presence of these questionable research practices does not mean the project will fail. It does, however, increase the chances of failure due to improperly kept data, poor record keeping and lax safety precautions in regard to GMOs.</p>
								<p>Let's see how the team is doing two weeks later.</p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Two weeks into the project</h4>
								<p>Two weeks later, the team members meet to review their progress; the PI is still away, so T1 leads the discussion. As before, look out for examples of irresponsible behaviour.</p>
								<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"Does anyone know if the recording equipment has arrived?"</em></p>
								<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"It's here but it hasn't been calibrated yet. I don't think that's a problem. We can start taking measurements now and then adjust the numbers later once we have the equipment calibrated."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"Before we start using the equipment, what about talking to the safety officer about the GMO application? Do you want me to check with the PI again?"</em></p>
								<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"Don't worry: the equipment comes with instructions that are easy to understand. Our PI said the GMOs will probably be considered low risk, so the application process should be straightforward. It's important that we stick to the schedule in our research plan, so we shouldn't delay things needlessly."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"That sounds okay. I have the spreadsheet you created so I can combine T1's data with mine pretty easily; that should speed things up."</em></p>
								<hr>
								<h4><strong>Question 2:</strong> How many problems did you spot?</h4>
								<ul>
									<li>1</li>
									<li>2</li>
									<li>3</li>
									<li>4</li>
									<li>5 or more</li>
								</ul>
								<h4>Feedback:</h4>
								<p>The team seems to be doing its best under the circumstances, but has made some questionable decisions:</p>
								<ol>
									<li>Calibrating the equipment after taking measurements is an unacceptable practice</li>
									<li>Team members should not undertake work for which they have not been properly trained</li>
									<li>Team members should not undertake work for which they do not yet have institutional approval</li>
									<li>The need to meet deadlines should not take precedence over the need for safety</li>
									<li>Plugging data from one spreadsheet into another makes it difficult to validate the data and ensure its accuracy</li>
									<li>The team should not be making these decisions without checking them with the PI first</li>
									<li>The PI should not have put his team in the position of having to make these decisions without proper supervision.</li>
								</ol>
								<p>Once again, there are at least five less-than-responsible practices illustrated by this scenario.</p>
								<p>From here, we pick up the conversation when the PI has returned and the team is trying to wrap up the first phase of work.</p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Five weeks into the project</h4>
								<p>The PI has returned from his time away, and now wants an update from the other researchers working on the project. When reading this scenario, try to apply the insight you have gained from the previous two feedback screens to identify the errors.</p>
								<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"Sorry I didn't keep in touch more while I was away. When you work as a consultant you never know what they are going to ask you to do! Where have you all got to?"</em></p>
								<p><strong>T1:</strong> <em>"Ah, we didn't know what you'd been up to! You'll be glad to know Phase 1 is finished. I had to make some adjustments to the research plan to get the results we said we would, but with proper calibration of the equipment it looks like everything fits with our predictions. I also uploaded our data onto the digital research notebook we created in week three &ndash; I had to put it in my name because you were not here to authorise it. I know you hold the grant, but I thought it was a practical solution at the time."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T2:</strong> <em>"I entered all the adjusted data into my spreadsheet, so everything is now securely on my laptop as well as the digital research notebook. My laptop record will hold all the facts."</em></p>
								<p><strong>T3:</strong> <em>"T2 also sent me her spreadsheet, which I have merged with the data I am keeping on the related work we are doing. This gives us another backup if we need it. I'll upload that to the digital record as well. We spoke to the safety officer and will hopefully get the GMO approval we require next week. We didn't actually tell them we had already started, but we figured that would be okay."</em></p>
								<p><strong>PI:</strong> <em>"You've all made great progress. As soon as I check with the group I consult with to make sure we can share this information, we can work on the analysis and start drafting a publication."</em></p>
								<hr>
								<h4><strong>Question 3:</strong> Please take some time to reflect on all of the problems you found with the previous scenario. Then continue on for our feedback.</h4>
								<h4>Feedback:</h4>
								<p>The team has made progress, but has also made some questionable decisions and seems to be unaware of some potential problems:</p>
								<ol>
									<li>T1 should have, at the very least, checked with the PI before changing the research plan. There might be legitimate reasons to change something, but changing the plan to get the predicted results will invalidate the experiment</li>
									<li>T1 also seems to be judging 'proper calibration' on the ability to produce desired results rather than independently determining whether the equipment is working properly</li>
									<li>T2 should be storing the raw data as well as the adjusted data in the digital research notebook as the primary storage repository for all data and notes relating to the conduct of this experiment. The personal laptop should only be used for transitory purposes</li>
									<li>With T3 now storing the data as well, the team does not have one authoritative data source, which could present problems</li>
									<li>It's great that the GMO approval has been applied for, but this should have been in place before any work started. The team has started work under the assumption that they will receive the approval they need, which may not be the case</li>
									<li>The PI apparently failed to inform his team about his consulting work and the possible restrictions on sharing the information collected</li>
									<li>The PI also seems to be starting the publication process without any clear sense of responsibilities and credits.</li>
								</ol>
								<p>How important are these issues, and what might their ramifications be?</p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Conclusion</h4>
								<p>Commencing research involving GMOs without first ensuring the necessary approvals are in place, even when the project is low-risk, is illegal in the UK. The primary piece of legislation governing this is the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2014, which stipulate that projects must first be reviewed and approved by a registered Genetic Modification Safety Committee (GMSC). As a result of this, the researchers would be guilty of research misconduct if they pressed ahead without the legally required approval. Furthermore, any data collected without the right approvals in place is unusable and therefore wasted &ndash; it is unethical and even unsafe to collect it.</p>
								<p>The other flaws in the team's preparation and execution would result in unreliable data, as well as data being used and stored in a way that is insecure and in breach of best practice.</p>
								<p>The PI has left too many details to his team and has failed to ensure the team members have proper training. The team members are making decisions without fully understanding their consequences. In particular, they are not creating a proper research record to document their work. Some of the decisions they have made could introduce bias or inaccurate data into their research. If anyone challenges their work, they might find it difficult to explain, let alone validate, what they have done.</p>
								<p>When you conduct research, set higher standards than this research team. Familiarise yourself with your responsibilities, and then carry out your research accordingly.</p>
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