Research Policy

The Women’s Christian College Centre for Research and Development since its inception in June 2015 is theoretically positioned to be a catalyst for new thinking, innovation and excellence. It aims to strengthen the teaching-research-learning triad by initiating and sustaining the culture of research in all disciplines of study offered by the college. Therefore the centre aligns itself to the institutional policy for research as to:

1. Enhance research output within departments and across academic disciplines
2. Encourage and sustain excellence through innovation
3. Empower the society outside with research findings

CODE OF ETHICS IN RESEARCH

The code of ethics in research   is designed   to foster and uphold high standards of scientific integrity and social responsibility. Research   at Women’s Christian College has at its core a respect for the autonomy, dignity and privacy of individuals and the community. Research carried out at and by the staff and students of Women’s Christian College, Chennai-6 should be aligned to the institutional policy for research. The Purpose of the code is to streamline all research activities and safeguard all stakeholders of Women’s Christian College.

The term ‘research’ in WCC is defined as “the attempt to derive generalisable new knowledge by addressing clearly defined questions with systematic and rigorous methods”

-Research governance framework for health and social care (2^nd ed )(DH,2005)

“A process of investigation leading to new insights effectively shared”

The board for monitoring the code of ethics in research at WCC comprises:

1. Deans of Research
2. Heads of PG Departments
3. One Ph.D. research scholar from WCC

The board will monitor:

a.) Ethical practices in research and publication

b.) Misrepresentation of data

c.) Misconduct in academic research

d.) Procedures involved in screening research reports and publications and certify.

e.)The safeguarding of intellectual property rights for research undertaken in WCC

Ethical guidelines to check malpractice and plagiarism in research

• The research conducted should be original and not acquired/copied from data collected by other researchers or from research previously carried out in another organisation or institution with an alternate title.
• If secondary data, standard protocols or ideas are used, the same should be used after obtaining permission from and where required ,certification by the original author before it is included in the study.
• In case photographs, pictures, tables, graphs and other figures are used from other sources the same should be duly acknowledged mentioning the source.
• All references and quotations used should be acknowledged .
• If the research work involves clinical trials or animal studies the protocols should be approved and passed by the institutional ethics committee of the college as well as the institution where the study is to be conducted.
• All dissertations and research papers submitted by the Departments should be screened for plagiarism and given clearance before it is submitted or published.
• The same data and findings should not be published in multiple journals with varied titles.
• The quality and content of the research paper /proposal to be published or sent to government or non-government funding agencies should be checked and approved by the Research Deans before it is submitted to the Head of the Institution for approval.
• Research guides cannot force students/research scholars to publish their research work in paid journals. A student /research scholar may of her own volition and interest publish in a paid journal using her own funds. Collection of money from students/research scholars by the research supervisor or co-guide, for the purpose of publishing their research article is strictly prohibited.
• The student/research scholar conducting research leading to a degree will be the first author in all research papers pertaining to her work .The research guide may only be the second author or the corresponding author and never the first author of that research work.
• The authorship rights as first author belong solely to the researcher who has conceived, designed, executed and presented the work. This may be shared in case of research projects with more than one principal investigators
• All co- authors of a research paper should have had a specific role in the conduct of the study and analysis of data.
• Statisticians, researchers, suppliers of raw material and study material etc who have been paid for their contribution towards the study in the analysis of data or the presentation of results cannot feature as co-authors in the publication. They can however be acknowledged for their contribution.

POLICY ON CONSULTANCY AND RESOURCE SHARING

Consultancy is defined as professional affiliation and expertise offered to any third party that seeks such expertise. Consultancy will not include mandatory academic duties.

Ten percent of the total income earned as a result of such consultancy should be deposited into the college account and will be considered as consultancy generated by the respective Departments

Guidelines for Consultancy and Resource Sharing

• Students from other education and research institution can be permitted to use the infrastructure of the college if they approach the institution with a letter authorised by the head of the Department or institution of their parent institution, seeking permission.
• Such students or researchers may be allowed to use the laboratory and provided with necessary assistance after getting due permission from the head of the institution or principal with regard to the period of work and payment for the utilisation of infrastructure.