Ethics

At Dartmouth, conducting sound and responsible research goes beyond compliance and following rules and regulations. It is about fostering a culture of integrity, critical thinking, and awareness of the broader impact of research on individuals, the scientific community, and society as a whole. Dartmouth’s ethics training program is designed to equip you with the tools to navigate ethical dilemmas and uphold the highest standards of professional conduct.

As a master’s or doctoral student, you are required to complete ethics training. Postdocs may choose to complete training, particularly if you are applying for grants. Training consists of an online component through Canvas and an in-person department-specific course. 

Online Ethics Training

Before the end of your second registered term as graduate student, you must complete the online ethics component via the Guarini Orientation Course on Canvas. You must:

• Accept the invitation sent to your Dartmouth email.
• Complete Module 3: Building a Respectful Community, which includes the following:
  • Attending Title IX and DEIB sessions
  • Carefully reading Dartmouth policies, including the
    • Dartmouth College Academic Honor Principle,
    • Academic Honor Policy for Graduate and Professional Students, and
    • Guarini School GenAI Policy, and
  • Confirming your understanding of these policies by answering “yes” to all questions in the Graduate Ethics Survey. 

Completing the Graduate Ethics Survey is required to register for the following term.

In-person Facilitated Ethics Training

In addition to online training, you, as a master’s or doctoral student, are required to participate in department-specific training led by department facilitators. This training covers issues regarding the responsible and ethical conduct of research, including topics in professionalism, authorship, mentoring, data collection, and rigor and reproducibility. These sessions provide a space to:

• Explore real-world ethical dilemmas based on case studies,
• Engage in dialogue with peers and facilitators, and
• Develop strategies for handling challenging situations.

Graduate students will enroll in courses specific to their programs through Banner or your department. Postdocs can elect to take either department-specific training or a cross-disciplinary training offered specifically for postdocs.

Attendance is mandatory. While you may accrue one absence, you must complete an alternative assignment as determined by the facilitator. More than one absence will require retaking the course the following year.