JOINT NHMRC/AVCC STATEMENT AND GUIDELINES ON RESEARCH PRACTICE
SECOND CONSULTATION DRAFT
Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research
February 2006
RESPONSE FROM THE COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIANS (CAUL)
This submission was prepared on behalf of CAUL (Council of Australian University Librarians) by Cathrine Harboe-Ree.
Contact Details:
Ms Cathrine Harboe-Ree
University Librarian
MonashUniversity
(03) 9905 2665
email:
3 April 2006
Introduction
The Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) is pleased to have the opportunity to submit comments on the Second Consultation Draft of Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, February 2006.
Details about CAUL and its activities were incorporated in the response to Draft Code #1 and can be found at our web site
CAUL commends the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Research Council and the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee on the creation of the Second Draft Code, and generally endorses its content. CAUL is pleased to see that a majority of its suggestions for inclusion and comments on the Draft Code #1have been incorporated into the Second Draft Code.
This response addresses the sections of the Second Draft Code relevant to CAUL and its activities. Specifically, we note that three suggestions in response to Draft Code #1 have not been actioned. These pertain to:
(i)research students’ training in research information skills, including the ethical use of others’ information;
(ii)research institutions’ role in publishing their own and others’ research output; and
(iii)making theses available through the Australian Digital Theses program or other and ensuring that clauses relating to publishing also apply to web publishing.
Comments
Chapter 4
Introduction
CAUL recommends that this section be expanded to include reference to research information skills, which includes the ethical use of others’ intellectual property. This could be done by adding to the second sentence in the second paragraph (p.21), as follows: “… all research trainees should receive training on research ethics, including ethical use of others’ intellectual property, this code and the research policies of the institution concerned, as well as the practices that are relevant to their discipline(s).”
CAUL members are aware that research information skills development is often approached in an ad hoc way within institutions, and so seeks to have the issue highlighted in this way in the Code.
Clause 4.4
CAUL recommends the addition of “and research information skills”to the list of things that supervisors must take responsibility for (third sentence of paragraph, p.22): “training should encompass discipline-based research methods and other relevant skills, such as research information skills, skills for interactions with industry and working with diverse communities.”
Chapter 5
Introduction
Many Australian research institutions – universities and CSIRO in particular – publish research outputs from their own and others’ institutions. CAUL recommends that this is recognised in the introduction, and that the Section Responsibilities of Institutions be strengthened to take this into account.
CAUL notes that the Second Draft Code does not include reference to theses. As the majority of Australian universities now participate in the Australian Digital Theses program (see [online] ), which is steadily building the number of theses available electronically, CAUL considers that it would be appropriate to include reference to theses in this chapter. A recommendation relating to this follows.
Responsibilities of Institutions
CAUL recommends the addition of asentence in clause 5.5 (p.26):“Where institutions participate in the Australian Digital Theses program, or otherwise make their theses available, they should ensure that the clauses that relate to publishing in general also apply to web publication of theses where relevant.”
Concluding remarks
University libraries support research activity by providing scholarly information, by ensuring that researchers can use this information capably and ethically and by managing, or advising on the management of, research data and publication. These are the areas that have been reiterated in this response. CAUL is happy to clarify any of the points raised.
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