RCR Training

RCR Elements

Although there is not a single best way to conduct research or pursue creative activities, several common core instructional areas in RCR have been identified:

  • Data acquisition, management, sharing and ownership
  • Human participants (required if research involves human subjects)
  • Animal welfare (required if research involves live vertebrate animals)
  • Conflict of interest and commitment
  • Peer Review
  • Publication practices and responsible authorship
  • Collaboration
  • Mentor/trainee relationships
  • Research misconduct 
  • Intellectual property
  • Lab safety

Methods of Delivery

1. Part of the training requirement can be met with online training. Appalachian offers the University of Miami's Collaborative Institutional Training (CITI) module on RCR.

Download instructions on registering and completing the CITI training (PDF).

2. In addition, faculty PI's are expected to provide experiential training through a variety of methods, such as:

  • One-on-one mentoring
  • Research methods classes when the above topics are included in the syllabus
  • Informal discussions
  • Videos (The Office of Research Integrity has developed a video, The Lab, for training purposes.  This is a direct link: The Lab.)
    • Research Protections has a dvd copy of The Lab, which can be borrowed for training.

You can contact Research Protections at compliance@appstate.edu to be added to a listserv which will provide upcoming RCR training opportunities.

PIs must provide documented evidence of training. Research Protections has suggested training record templates on the RCR Forms page. In addition, you can find additional resources on our RCR Resources page.