Advice for doctoral students
Scientific Integrity
The term "good scientific practice" describes the professional quality in the scientific system. For this purpose, a commission of the German Research Foundation (DFG) adopted recommendations for the first time in 1998, which were established by the DFG-funded HEIs and research institutions. These recommendations were last updated and supplemented in July 2019. The guidelines, which now comprise 19 recommendations, are mandatory for scientific institutions in Germany. In particular, the new guidelines deal with the professional ethics of scientists, questions of equal opportunities and diversity, and gender research aspects.
Website of DFG: Research Integrity
Principles of effective career support in academia
Under the primacy of honesty towards oneself and others, the principle of scientific work can be summarized as follows:
- comprehensible, verifiable and visible documentation of all results
- consistent self-criticism and external criticism of the results
- honesty with regard to contributions from partners, competitors and predecessors
Otto von Guericke University has drawn up a guideline for safeguarding good scientific practice based on the DFG Recommendations in 2023 (in German).
In the network of universities and research institutes in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, introductory courses and in-depth courses on relevant sub-areas of scientific integrity are offered on an ongoing basis: Course program GWP / WI
According to the DFG, anyone who suspects scientific misconduct needs special protection. The suspicion must be mentioned in good faith and treated confidentially by the bodies making the decisions. Otto-von-Guericke University has several Ombudspersons and a commission for dealing with scientific misconduct.
The BMBF has published an extensive brochure on the German copyright law (in German)
