Creation of science is a collective process. It is based primarily on the cooperation of the scientific community, on the exchange of knowledge, on peer review based on constructive criticism, which is most accurate and objective when preceded by self-criticism and awareness of one's own fallibility.
Integrity and quality of scientific achievements of national and international range, are the effects of scientific community involvement in building reliable knowledge. Peer-review processes are dependent on mutual trust based on competence and knowledge, honest engagement in scientific communities cultivating responsible and ethical attitudes, include:
- reviewing of scientific publications in journals that provide transparent rules for peer review
- reviews of other research and scientific materials, such as grant applications, theses, conference submissions, research reports, data sets
- reviews of scientific achievements and output in proceedings for granting PhD, post-doctoral and professorial degrees
- fulfilling scientific roles: supervisor, scientific editor, reviewer, academic teacher, representative of science in a particular discipline
- activity of giving public comments from the perspective of an authority representing a given scientific discipline
Based on the scientific experience leading to ethical dilemmas related to peer review in scientific communities, COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) has developed guidelines of conduct that can be helpful to scientific representatives as a reference in publishing activity, but also in other contexts of evaluation of scientific activity.
The COPE guidelines outline pathways for dealing with situations of suspected, such as duplicate publication, plagiarism, fabrication, non-factual co-authorship, ghost, guest or courtesy authorship, conflict of interest, misappropriation of others' ideas, slandering others and exposing dishonesty, etc.
Code of Ethics for Researchers
Ethical practice at Gdańsk University of Technology
Everyone at Gdansk University of Technology has an inalienable right to equal and fair treatment. No one may be discriminated against in the academic society for any reason, e.g. because of gender, age, worldview, sexual orientation, material status, position held (by forcing obedience), race, nationality, religion, origin and ethnic or political affiliation, marital status, parental status, etc.
