Introduction to Research Ethics at Oxford (Social Sciences and Humanities) - Online via Microsoft Teams
Integrity and ethics training
Online and in-person training opportunities
Online training
Research integrity training is compulsory for all University research staff and research students. Online research integrity training is available to all University staff and students via the course booking system CoSy.
Research integrity – core course
This introductory core course is compulsory for all University of Oxford research students (either on graduate taught courses or taking research degrees). It is also available to all University staff and students who are interested in undertaking more detailed training in this area.
Designed to support researchers from all disciplines, the course covers professional responsibilities, planning and conducting research, relationships (both with other researchers and the broader community and the public), scholarly publication, research dissemination and impact, issues in research governance and what to do if research misconduct is suspected.
For evidence that you have completed the core course, you will need to take and pass the quizzes at the end of each module and score an overall pass mark of 80% or over. Once you have passed all the quizzes, you will then be sent an email certificate of completion of the core course.
Research integrity – refresher course for experienced researchers
This refresher course is more suitable for experienced University of Oxford researchers (for example, postdoctoral researchers or established academic staff).
The refresher course offers the first two of the eight core course modules.
For evidence that you have completed the refresher course, you will need to take and pass the quiz and score a pass mark of 80% or over. You will then be sent an email certificate of completion of the refresher course.
Research integrity – supplementary modules
These additional modules are designed to supplement the core and refresher courses about specific aspects of research integrity which will be relevant to certain types of research. These cover:
A video recording of a previous 'Introduction to Research Ethics (Social Sciences and Humanities)' training session. Users need to sign in via their SSO. You will not receive a certificate of completion after watching this, but it will be a useful general introduction to research ethics at Oxford.
A range of online courses covering good research practice (incorporating planning research, research ethics, research collaboration and reporting research findings); research data and confidentiality; research and human tissue regulation; Integrated Research Applications System (IRAS) (for applications requiring review via the NHS Health Research Authority).
The Research Ethics Online course, adapted from a course produced by the World Health Organization, covers ethical considerations in international health research.
The Global Training Centre platform also offers a range of other training materials and resources for different research training and continued professional development needs. Links to all their online training courses are available on the Global Health Training Centre website.
This is a short online course (freely available to all researchers), offered by the Global Health Network, that aims to highlight some of the ethical issues that can arise with social research and possible ways of addressing them.
A certificate of completion is available once a minimum score of 80% is achieved in the final quiz section.
The Department for Continuing Education's Graduate School offers a termly programme of postgraduate training sessions and each term there will always be one or two sessions that focus on research ethics or the practicalities of completing a CUREC application. These sessions are open to all postgraduate students (research and often taught, too) from across the University. They’re held in hybrid format at Rewley House and online via Teams and students can register on the training webpages on a first come first served basis.
In-person training
The Research Governance, Ethics & Assurance Team offers face-to-face training sessions on how to apply to CUREC for ethical review. Separate sessions are provided for departments in the Medical Sciences, and departments/faculties in the Social Sciences and Humanities (interested staff and students from the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences are also welcome to attend either).
Any upcoming sessions are listed at the bottom of this page.
If you would like to organise a training session within your department or faculty about research ethics and the University’s requirements for the ethical review of research involving human participants and personal data, please contact the Research Governance, Ethics & Assurance Team.
Video recorded ethics training session for the Social Sciences and Humanities, Michaelmas term 2019
A video recording of a previous 'Introduction to Research Ethics (Social Sciences and Humanities)' training session. Users need to sign in via their SSO. You will not receive a certificate of completion after watching this, but it will be a useful general introduction to research ethics at Oxford.
The Medical Sciences Division provides a range of in-person research training courses including:
- best practice in planning, designing and carrying out research
- planning for publication
- statistics
- the use of specific research technology for the medical sciences
The Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division offers a professional and career development programme. Courses include good practice in research, research data management and other research skills.
The Social Sciences Division coordinates an Academic and Professional Development Programme. This includes seminars on research methodology, research data management and other research skills.
Please also see the Research Services ethics training section above, including a video-recorded ethics training session for the Social Sciences and Humanities Divisions in October 2019, which is available to view for anyone with a University Single-Sign On account.
Users need to sign in via their SSO, and then click on ‘Recorded Lectures’ on the left side bar to view the video.
The Humanities Division coordinates a range of training opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.
Please also see the Research Services ethics training section above, including a video-recorded ethics training session for the Social Sciences and Humanities Divisions in October 2019, which is available to view for anyone with a University Single-Sign On account.
Users need to sign in via their SSO, and then click on ‘Recorded Lectures’ on the left side bar to view the video.
The Department for Continuing Education's Graduate School offers a termly programme of postgraduate training sessions and each term there will always be one or two sessions that focus on research ethics or the practicalities of completing a CUREC application. These sessions are open to all postgraduate students (research and often taught, too) from across the University. They’re held in hybrid format at Rewley House and online via Teams and students can register on the training webpages on a first come first served basis.
