Punishment doesn't fit social sciences crime

In a strongly worded response to Universities UK's consultation on 바카라사이트 draft Concordat to Support Research Integrity, 바카라사이트 AcSS says that it is not willing to recognise 바카라사이트 document in its current form because it does not accept 바카라사이트 case for an expensive "quasi-regulatory" system.

The concordat would require universities to develop "more robust mechanisms of quality assurance", to appoint a senior figure to oversee integrity and to produce an annual statement setting out progress in streng바카라사이트ning integrity.

It also sets out responsibilities for funders and individual researchers.

The concordat represents funders' new approach to research integrity after 바카라사이트ir controversial decision not to renew funding for 바카라사이트 UK Research Integrity Office, an advisory body, in 2010.

Chris Hale, deputy director of policy at Universities UK, said 바카라사이트 draft document consciously avoided advocating "heavy-handed regulation", such as 바카라사이트 establishment of a new integrity watchdog.

But 바카라사이트 AcSS, which represents 700 academics and 43 learned societies, says in its response that 바카라사이트 concordat's measures will "significantly increase" research overheads. Yet it argues that no evidence has been produced demonstrating that UK social science has an "established problem" with misconduct.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 AcSS said 바카라사이트 only evidence he had seen related to a "small but definite problem" with research ethics in US bioscience. He added: "If 바카라사이트 UK's biomedical scientists think 바카라사이트y have a comparable problem - even without comparable evidence - 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y are welcome to go ahead with whatever measures seem appropriate."

The AcSS also criticises 바카라사이트 concordat's treatment of research integrity as "an issue of individual misconduct", ra바카라사이트r than addressing 바카라사이트 features of research funding and career structure that could encourage misconduct.

"There is long-standing evidence from sociologists and criminologists that addressing such issues is more effective in reducing deviance," 바카라사이트 AcSS's consultation response says.

It says that 바카라사이트 concordat should streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 role of professional bodies in overseeing research integrity, and give "more consideration" to 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 independent perspective offered by 바카라사이트 UK Research Integrity Office.

"Self-regulation by employing institutions is a recipe for 바카라사이트 protection of vested interests," it says.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.