April 06, 2009

National Academies Issues Revised Guide to Responsible Conduct in Research

The National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine have released the third edition of On Being a Scientist: A Guide to Responsible Conduct in Research. The book is available free online, or may be purchased as a PDF download or in paperback.

From the online description:
On Being a Scientist was designed to supplement the informal lessons in ethics provided by research supervisors and mentors. The book describes the ethical foundations of scientific practices and some of the personal and professional issues that researchers encounter in their work. It applies to all forms of research--whether in academic, industrial, or governmental settings-and to all scientific disciplines.

On Being a Scientist is aimed primarily at graduate students and beginning researchers, but its lessons apply to all scientists at all stages of their scientific careers.