Ethical Research Framework
Promoting Integrity, Quality & Responsible Research
Stella Mary's College of Engineering promotes responsible research practices that protect academic integrity, research participants, research data and the credibility of scholarly work. The institutional research ethics framework establishes expectations relating to plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, confidentiality, informed consent, research quality, authorship, openness, social responsibility and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Core Principle
Integrity, transparency, ethical responsibility and academic excellence.
Research Team
Faculty members supporting institutional research, innovation and responsible scholarly practices.
Anti-Plagiarism Policy & Research Ethics
Principles guiding ethical research and preventing academic malpractice.
Institutional Code of Ethics for Research
The institution maintains a code of ethics intended to prevent research malpractice, plagiarism, fabrication, falsification and other conduct that compromises the credibility and integrity of academic research.
Anti-plagiarism principle:
Researchers are responsible for ensuring that their work is original,
properly acknowledged and conducted according to accepted academic
standards. Plagiarism, fabrication and falsification are inconsistent
with responsible research practice.
Integrity
Researchers are responsible for the trustworthiness of their research. Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism and similar serious violations of good academic practice are inconsistent with responsible research conduct.
Respect
People who participate in research, whether as participants, informants or in other roles, should be treated with dignity and respect.
Fairness
Research projects should be designed, implemented, evaluated and communicated fairly.
Quest for Truth
Research is a systematic quest for new knowledge and should include critical verification, appropriate methods and peer review wherever applicable.
Academic Freedom
The institution should support researchers' academic freedom in selecting research topics and methodologies, implementing research and publishing legitimate findings.
Quality
Research should maintain high academic quality. Researchers should possess appropriate competence, define relevant research questions, use suitable methodologies and ensure responsible data collection, processing, storage and project implementation.
Voluntary Informed Consent
Research involving individuals or identifiable information should obtain consent that is informed, explicit, voluntary and appropriately documented.
Confidentiality
Personal information relating to research participants should be treated confidentially. Researchers should prevent inappropriate use or disclosure of information that may cause harm.
Collegiality
Researchers should treat colleagues with respect and follow agreed good practices concerning data ownership, data sharing, authorship, publication, peer review and research cooperation.
Institutional Responsibility
Responsibility for ethical research conduct is shared by individual researchers and the institution supporting or hosting the research.
Availability of Results
Research results should normally be made available where appropriate. Openness contributes to verification, knowledge sharing, public dialogue and societal benefit.
Social Responsibility
Researchers should consider the wider social implications of their work and strive to ensure that research benefits participants, relevant communities or society while avoiding foreseeable harm.
Laws and Regulations
Researchers and research institutions should comply with applicable national laws, institutional regulations, professional standards and relevant international agreements governing research.
What is the Research Code of Ethics at Stella Mary's College of Engineering?
The Research Code of Ethics at Stella Mary's College of Engineering, Kanyakumari, establishes principles for responsible and trustworthy research. It requires researchers to maintain integrity, avoid plagiarism, fabrication and falsification, protect confidential information, obtain informed consent where applicable, respect research participants, ensure appropriate research quality and comply with relevant laws and institutional regulations. The framework also emphasises academic freedom, fairness, collegiality, social responsibility and appropriate dissemination of research findings.