Guidance

Research Ethics
Name Description
Certificates of Confidentiality Tip Sheet Describes the use of Certificates of Confidentiality issued by the National Institute of Health (NIH) to help researchers protect identifiable research information from forced disclosures such as court orders and subpoenas.
Changes to the Continuing Review Procedures Describes changes to the Continuing Review procedures due to the revised Common Rule.
Changes to the Exempt Categories Outlines changes to the Exempt Categories due to the Common Rule.
Changes to the Informed Consent Describes changes to the Informed Consent due to the Common Rule.
Classroom Research Projects and the IRB Outlines what studies constitute "classroom projects" which do not meet the regulatory definition of research and therefore do not require IRB review or approval.
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Conflict of Interest (COI) -Outline of Guidance Principles for Faculty on COI Provides an overview of the various types of potential conflicts of interest that researchers need to be aware of.
Conflict of Interest (COI) Law for State Employees Summary of the conflict of interest law, General Laws chapter 268A, and how it applies to state employees.
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Conflict of Interest (COI) Policies (UMass Amherst) - Overview Town Hall meeting on UMass Amherst COI Policies.
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Conflict of Interest (COI) Relating to Intellectual Property and Commercial Ventures Workshop on UMass Amherst Policy on COI Relating to Intellectual Property and Commercial Ventures presented by Tom Chmura and Liz Rodriguez on March 16, 2009
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Education Research Settings Provides information to determine if a study is exempt from IRB review, issues to consider if submitting, and guidelines for conducting research in educational settings.
Ethnographic Research Provides guidance on ethnography-specific research and its intersection with the IRB and federal regulations.
Implementing the NIH COI Final Rule Provides institutions subject to the new Conflict of Interest rule with insight into how peer institutions considered these issues after the announcement of the new rule, and provides a range of possible approaches.
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Misconduct in Research & Scholarly Activities - UMass Procedures Misconduct in research and scholarly activities is injurious to the University's teaching, research, and public service missions and cannot be tolerated. This document provides procedures for investigations of allegations of misconduct in research and scholarly activities. It is written to comply with federal regulations requiring such procedures and also to maintain and enhance the integrity of research.
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Research in Higher Education Settings Provides information to determine if a study is exempt from IRB review, issues to consider if submitting, and guidelines for conducting research in higher education settings.
Responsible Conduct in Research - NSF- related Primer for Undergraduates This is an introduction to Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RCR) for undergraduates who are engaged in research activities that are supported by NSF.
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