Ethical standards in research

Everyone who applies to the Research Council must explain the ethical issues in the project and describe how these will be handled. You do this by writing a short report, which we have called research ethics self-evaluation. This is part of the project description and the application assessment, and is primarily an assurance to the panel that will assess the application that there is a plan for dealing with the most important ethical dilemmas in the project. You can use the research ethics self-evaluation list, which the national research ethics committees have prepared, to help.

Guidelines for research ethics

An overview of general guidelines for research ethics as well as more specific, subject-oriented guidelines can be found on the website of the Norwegian National Committees for Research Ethics. 

The guidelines deal with the following:

• standards of good research practice and relations among researchers;
• relations between researchers and other people;
• obligations of research to society.

For advice regarding ethical issues in research projects, please contact the Norwegian National Committees for Research Ethics.

Scientific misconduct

Scientific misconduct should first be reported to the specific institution. Each institution has its own reporting procedures.

If you have any questions regarding how to report scientific misconduct, contact the National Commission for the Investigation of Research Misconduct.