Code of Ethics for Students and Researchers

Principles and Policies for Scientific and Publishing Activities at FEE CTU in Prague

The following documents were used to draw up the Principles and Policies Manual for Scientific and Publishing Activities at FEE CTU in Prague:

• Research Ethics Framework, resolution of the Government of the Czech Republic No. 1005, dated 17 August 2005;
• Code of Ethics for Researchers of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

Article 1

Definition of terms

1. Authorship and Co- authorship

An author or co-author of a scientific paper is considered to be a person who has made substantial intellectual contributions to its origin, e.g. to the conceptual framework and design of the studies and experiments and their realisation, to analysing this data, to interpreting the findings, to working out or modelling the data or drawing up the article, on the condition that co-authorship is agreed to.

Researchers or students of FEE CTU can qualify as authors or co-authors if the following conditions are met:

1. they have written a part of the manuscript;
2. they have, either individually or in a research team, made a substantial intellectual contribution to the creative process leading to the final publication of the manuscript or to publishing the results of research or creative activities in a monograph, in professional and scientific journals, in scientific anthologies or through any other media;
3. they have developed research strategies or have identified and collected data that the research relies on and have thus contributed significantly to the published research achievements;
4. they have merged different theoretical approaches into higher complexity and have thus significantly influenced the quality of the published research achievements;
5. they have created a conceptual framework and suggested an evaluation process; they have participated in data analysis and in interpreting the findings in a way that has significantly contributed to the scientific value of the publication.

Only a substantial intellectual contribution to published research results entitles the researcher to be considered as an author of the publication. Mechanical activities such as lab work, data entry or administrative work cannot be seen as sufficient for authorship. Persons should not be listed as authors just for reasons of honour or favour, or as research supervisors, unless they not meet the conditions for authorship. If there are well-founded reasons for mentioning them, the above-mentioned workers should be named in the "acknowledgments" in the publication;

2. Plagiarism

Plagiarism involves copying or publishing someone else.s research results and development work without citing the source of information; or using other sources as a core or major part of the publication.

3. Redundant publications

Redundant publications are papers which overlap with one already published. These papers are written by the same authors with minimal differences in the text. Redundant publications contain the same data, though there may be different units, yields etc. There is only a small difference between the original publication and the "redundant" publication in names, abstract and order of authors.

An extreme case of a redundant publication is a duplicate of the original work by the same author.

Developing research results published in conference anthologies and in "preprints" (which may be just short informative notices) of regular publications are not considered to be redundant publications.

Article 2

Obligations of workers (researchers) and students of FEE CTU

1. Researchers and students of FEE CTU as authors or co-authors of a publication:

1. do not plagiarize. They acknowledge the scientific contributions of their predecessors and colleagues to the question studied to which the article is directly linked; when citing findings and results gained by other authors, a clear reference is made to the respective sources;
2. also cite important works which are contrary to their own research results and conclusions;
3. will take measures to correct any substantial mistake that they find in their published data, for example by publishing errata or by taking other appropriate steps;
4. make efforts to avoid the practice of redundant publications and fragmenting or duplicating research results to multiple journals or publications to the detriment of quality and clarity;
5. avoid getting their own work cited in other publications by means of utilitarian agreements with other authors to cite each others. work purposely.

2. An FEE CTU worker in the role of a supervisor or a teacher:

1. admits students and research co-workers after objectively evaluating their intellectual, ethical and personal characteristics;
2. when leading a research team, pays heed to correctness and openness in mutual communication and avoids any kind of unjustified autocratic style of leadership;
3. encourages students to think independently and critically, and respects students. rights to freely and openly express their opinions on research;
4. assesses her/his students and colleagues according to the results achieved and treats them equitably, not requiring work which is his/her own responsibility, and not setting tasks which might be beyond the student.s capabilities;
5. acknowledges students or colleagues as co-authors of the publication if their creative work contributed to the published results;
6. supports and promotes the scientific and academic publishing activities of his/her subordinates or students as well as their professional development;
7. does not accept any kind of unethical behaviour which might have a negative impact on students in education or in research work;
8. deduces consequences from any unethical behaviour of subordinates and students.

These principles and policies for scientific and publishing activities were written and approved by the Scientific Council of FEE CTU in Prague on November 22, 2006.