Good research practice
What is appropriate or inappropriate in research? What is legal or illegal? Compliance with regulations in general is a part of good research practice. As a researcher, you are yourself responsible for becoming familiar with and following laws, regulations and good practice. Regardless of research field, researchers need to carefully consider matters concerning research ethics.
Short-cuts to content on this page:
- Research ethics and good research practice
- Ethical approval for research involving humans
- Ethical approval for animal testing
- Personal data in research
- Deviations from good research practice
Research ethics and good research practice
The terms research ethics and good research practice are sometimes used synonymously. There are clear overlaps but also differences between the terms.
Research ethics: as a whole concerns thosee laws and regulations that must be followed, as well as good research practice according to below. The term is often seen defined slightly differently, for example some sources differentiate between research ethics and researchers’ ethics, whereas other sources consider these as one.
Read more about research ethics
Good research practice: refers to the moral practice that is developed when the various parties involved in research, in dialogue with wider society, critically reflect on research activities (SOU 1999:4). Parts of this practice are to some extent codified in laws and ordinances.
Ethical considerations in research: concern the balance between different legitimate interests that sometimes conflict with each other, such as the right to information and the right to privacy. Other considerations could be cost, protection of participants or animals, etc.
The Nagoya Protocol: regulates research and product development on genetic resources and/or traditional knowledge relating to such resources. The Nagoya Protocol is law in Sweden. The responsible researcher is obliged to investigate whether the Nagoya Protocol applies, obtain relevant documentation, document, preserve and report in accordance with the university's guidelines.
Read more about the Nagoya Protocol
Lund University’s guidelines (PDF 264 kB; new window)
Ethical approval for research involving humans
Conducting research on or with humans is in many cases regulated by law and may require ethical review.
Ethical permission: may be required when your research involves humans in capacities such as respondent, participant or sample donor, or if sensitive personal data is processed.
Ethical review: is regulated in the Ethical Review Act and conducted by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority following an application for ethical approval.
Read more about ethical review and the cases in which approval of research is required by law
Informed consent to participate: is to be obtained to protect and show respect for the research participants. For some forms of research there are also legal requirements for consent and requirements concerning how this is to be obtained in order to be valid.
Ethical approval for animal testing
Animal testing: is a collective term for all uses of animals for research purposes.
The 3R principle: is strictly regulated by law. It specifies that the researcher primarily, and as far as possible, shall use animal-free alternatives (replacement), minimise the number of animals (reduction) and fine-tune the models that are used (refinement).
Read more about alternative methods and the 3R concept
Animal testing ethics: covers animal testing but also animal welfare and management practices, etc.
Read more about animal testing ethics
Ethical review for animal testing: is carried out by a regional animal testing ethics committee following the researcher’s application. All research-related animal testing in Sweden requires ethical review and approval.
Read more about animal testing and ethical review at the Faculty of Medicine
Personal data in research
You may process personal data when it is necessary to fulfil the goals of a research project.
Data protection: When you conduct research, you must process personal data in accordance with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Swedish Data Protection Act. The same applies for the whole of Lund University, regardless of where we operate.
Read more about personal data and data protection
Processing of personal data: covers all processing of data, from collection, storage and processing to publication, disposal or archiving. The same applies whether the data is digital or analogue.
Read more about general principles for personal data processing
The researcher’s responsibilities include knowing the type of personal data that may be processed, finding out whether ethical approval is required, and ensuring that data is stored in a secure way.
Duty to register: Research projects that use personal data must be registered in Personal Data Lund University (PULU).
Security breach involving personal data: If something happens to personal data, for example if data is destroyed, changed or divulged to unauthorised persons, the incident could constitute a personal data breach. If suspicions arise, this is to be reported to the University’s data protection officer.
Read more about managing a personal data breach
Read more about processing personal data in research
Deviations from good research practice
If a researcher is neglectful of their responsibility to conduct their research in accordance with the rules and regulations of research ethics and good research practice, they may be guilty of research misconduct or other deviation from good research practice.
Research misconduct: in Swedish legislation concerns serious deviations from good research practice in the form of fabrication, falsification or plagiarism as a result of intent or gross negligence. These cases are processed by the National Board for Assessment of Research Misconduct.
Read more about research misconduct – npof.se
Other deviations from good research practice: refer to deviations (other than those considered as research misconduct) that damages or risk damaging the research process or the integrity of the research or researchers. These deviations are committed intentionally or through gross negligence, and are processed by the Deviations from Good Research Practice Review Board at Lund University.
Read more about deviations from good research practice and how this is managed at Lund University
Read more about how to report suspected deviations
Translated from the publication God forskningssed (Swedish Research Council 2024), current only availble in Swedish.
To republish large parts of one’s own previously published publications, including translations, without referring to or citing the original ("self-plagiarism").
To manipulate authorship or underrate the role of other researchers in publications.
To present research results, data, participation or interests in a misleading manner.
To conceal the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the creation of content or in the preparation of publications.
To divide research results into smaller parts in order to get more publications.
To add references only to accommodate editors, reviewers or colleagues.
To participate in cartels with reviewers and authors who collaborate by reviewing each other's publications.
To establish, support or knowingly use journals, publishers, conferences or services that undermine the quality of research ("predatory journals/conferences", "paper mills").
To obstruct scientific review.
To describe credentials in an incorrect or misleading way (for example in connection with applications for research funds).
To cite selectively or incorrectly.
To withhold research results or data without acceptable reasons.
To misuse statistics, for example to falsely or improperly imply statistical significance.
To conduct research without required permits or falsely state that such permits exist.
To conduct research abroad that does not live up to the ethical standard that applies in Sweden.
To expose persons to a disproportionate risk of harm.
To accuse someone of research misconduct or other deviations from good research practice in a dishonest manner.
To sabotage or improperly hinder or delay the research of others.
To allow funders, sponsors or others to jeopardize the independence or impartiality of the research.
To abuse one’s power to encourage deviations from good research practice or to advance their own careers.
To ignore or conceal research misconduct or other deviations from good research practice, or concealing the failure to address such deviations.

Contact
Research Ethics support
Mats Johansson, Research Ethics Advisor/Research Integrity Officer
forskningsetik [at] lu [dot] se (forskningsetik[at]lu[dot]se)
Data Protection Officer
Sanja Hebib, Secure State Cyber AB
dataskyddsombud [at] lu [dot] se (dataskyddsombud[at]lu[dot]se)
Deviations from good research practice
Jessica Salomonsson Enetoft, Policy Officer
avvikelse_god_forskningssed [at] rektor [dot] lu [dot] se (avvikelse_god_forskningssed[at]rektor[dot]lu[dot]se)
Internal courses
Research Ethics for Research Staff at Lund University (Kompetensportalen)
Personal data and data protection (Kompetensportalen)
Personal data in research (Kompetensportalen)
Research representatives at Lund University
Research representatives are found at all faculties and works to spread knowledge and promote good research practice, as well as providing independent advice and support in matters such as publication, author responsibility or research collaborations.
Read more about research representatives and how to contact them