Issues in Scientific Integrity: A Practical Course for Graduate Students in the Chemical Sciences

A one-credit course is described in which students at the graduate level in the chemical sciences participate in a semester-long series of lecture-discussions that address practical topics related to ethical issues in science. The ethical dimensions of the roles of scientists in the laboratory, as reviewers, authors, grantees, in situations of differential power, and as citizens are considered, preceded by a brief introduction to the discipline of ethics and succeeded by a review of regulations related to scientific good conduct. A professional ethicist briefly introduces the discipline at the beginning of the course and members of the university research administration briefly explain the regulation of scientific conduct at the end of the course. The remaining 12-13 lecture-discussion meetings are conducted by practicing scientists, including faculty members, staff members of research centers, and visiting industrial scientists. Presenters have unusual qualifications for dealing with their topic, such as experience on grant-review panels or in granting agencies, editorial and other publishing responsibilities, or special responsibility for the integrity of research records.