Office of the
Research Integrity Officer (ORIO)

Unprofessional behaviors include bullying, harassment and other inappropriate conduct, retaliation, and the creation of a hostile work environment. For additional information, see the Unprofessional Behaviors section below.

A pattern of repeated, or likely to be repeated, hostile behavior committed by one or more employees toward another that causes an imbalance between the perpetrator(s) and the target(s), which includes acts of workplace aggression and/or behaviors meant to dismiss others to increase one’s own standing. In bullying, there is always an actual or perceived power imbalance.

Bullying can be physical, verbal, and/or social. Examples include:

• Physical: pushing; aggressively entering another's personal space; blocking another’s path; stealing, hiding, or damaging another person's belongings; forcing someone to do things against his or her will
• Verbal: teasing; calling names; insulting another person; threatening another person with physical harm; spreading rumors or untrue statements about another person
• Social: refusing to talk to someone or making them feel left out; encouraging other individuals to bully someone.

Bullying can occur outside of official workplace or schedule. Cyberbullying is a growing concern with the increased use of mobile devices and communication apps, such as Slack or Teams.

Effects of bullying include, but are not limited to, stress, fear, depression/anxiety, self-blame, decreased morale and motivation, dysfunctional work environment, absenteeism, and negative impact on workplace reputation.

As described for bullying, but when the perpetrator targets the action to an individual because of the individual’s membership in a “protected class” (e.g., sex or gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, disability, etc.). Per University Rule 1-012, is “unwelcome or offensive conduct which has the purpose or effect of interfering with a person's work or academic environment or creating an intimidating, hostile, offensive, or otherwise adverse working or learning environment, when such conduct is based on or because of an individual's membership in a protected class described in Policy 1-012."

Examples of Harassment: NIH Forms of Harassment

Effects of harassment/discrimination include significant psychological trauma (e.g., anxiety, depression, withdrawal, anger, low self-esteem, inability to concentrate, fear), physiological harm (e.g., headaches, sleep disorders, panic attacks, weight changes, illnesses) and absenteeism.

A broader category of misconduct included in the NIH Forms of Harassment (see item 7) that may not be harassment under the law (i.e., does not target a protected class) but raises concerns about a safe and respectful workplace. “Inappropriate conduct includes any comments or conduct that disparages or demonstrates hostility or aversion towards any person that could reasonably be perceived as disruptive, disrespectful, offensive, or inappropriate in the workplace. These may also be referred to as microaggressions.” Inappropriate conduct can occur through nuanced, subtle behaviors that may be difficult to identify, and in some cases may be unintentional. Regardless of the perpetrators intent or the ability to officially label the behavior, it is important that inappropriate conduct be addressed.

Examples are provided on inappropriate conduct are provided by the NIH.

The punishment, or threat of punishment, through intimidation, threatening, coercion or discrimination, of an employee by a supervisor for any real or perceived activity, which includes (but is not limited to) engaging in legally protected activity, such as making a good faith complaint of unprofessional behavior to human resources, the OEO, or other University office. Retaliation can include any punitive job action, such as demotion, discipline, firing, salary reduction, or reassignment of job duties.

Retaliation at the University of Utah is prohibited under Rule R1-012(ii)(T), Policy 1-021(III)(A)(4), and Policy 7-001.

Retaliation not only harms individual employees by instilling fear and decreasing morale, but it can also negatively impact overall employee morale due to the chilling effect that retaliation can have on other employees’ willingness to report concerns.

Abusive Conduct means physical, verbal, or nonverbal conduct by an employee toward another employee (such as derogatory remarks, insults, or epithets) that based on the severity, nature, or frequency of the conduct, a reasonable person would determine any of the following:

1. intends to intimidate, humiliate, or cause unwarranted distress;
2. exploits an employee’s known physical or psychological disability; or
3. is unwarranted and results in substantial physical or psychological harm as a result of intimidation, humiliation, or distress.”

The process for reporting and resolving abusive conduct varies depending on the classification of the responding employee. See Rules 1-021A (University Staff), 1-021B (UUHC Staff), and 1-021C (Faculty) for applicable reporting processes.

Abusive Conduct means physical, verbal, or nonverbal conduct by an employee toward another employee (such as derogatory remarks, insults, or epithets) that based on the severity, nature, or frequency of the conduct, a reasonable person would determine any of the following:

1. intends to intimidate, humiliate, or cause unwarranted distress;
2. exploits an employee’s known physical or psychological disability; or
3. is unwarranted and results in substantial physical or psychological harm as a result of intimidation, humiliation, or distress.”

The process for reporting and resolving abusive conduct varies depending on the classification of the responding employee. See Rules 1-021A (University Staff), 1-021B (UUHC Staff), and 1-021C (Faculty) for applicable reporting processes.

Represent violations of institutional or organizational policies (e.g., federal, state, local, industry) meant to ensure a safe working environment and protection of individuals participating in research. Examples include:

• Improper protection of human or animal subjects in research
• Improper use and storage of lab materials
• Noncompliance with Environmental Health and Safety procedures

Failure to acknowledge the existence and/or influence of an individual’s personal interests – financial, professional, or social – that have the potential to compromise an ability to act with integrity. Examples include:

• Failing to disclose conflicts of interest.
• Changing the design, methods, results, or conclusions in response to pressure from the funding source.

Incomplete and/or flawed development of a research idea. Examples include:

• Lack of clear research question and/or hypotheses.
• Lack of appropriate preparation prior to study initiation.
• Inadequate/improper use of methodology.
• Lack of appropriate controls.
• Failing to utilize randomization or blinding.

Failure to perform an obligation, either explicit or implied, that is owed to another individual or group, and/or ignoring such behaviors in others. Examples include:

• Overlooking known/suspected research misconduct of colleagues, failure to address or report unprofessional behaviors, or tolerating DRPs/QRPs.
• Poor data documentation or sharing practices.
• Ineffective communication.
• Unfairly or carelessly reviewing manuscripts, grants, or applications.

Collecting or managing data in ways that are inconsistent with sound scientific principles, institutional policies, standard operating principles, or study-specific protocols. For example:

• Data collection:
  • Inappropriately adding observations to inflate “N”.
  • Stopping data collection early, without sufficient reason.
• Data Management:
  • Failure to use an appropriate digital lab notebook.
  • Lack of appropriate quality assurance.
  • Inadequate record retention.
  • Incompletely de-identifying data.
  • Inappropriate use of confidential data.

Any practice that distort and misrepresent the meaning or significance of the data, including:

• Selectively removing data or observations.
• Failing to present data that does not support the research findings.
• Failing to consider the influence of underpowered study results on the impact of significance and relevance.
• Removing observations or data from analysis after looking at the impact of doing so.
• Rounding a p-value to make results look more statistically significant.
• P-hacking (repeated data analysis until a desired outcome occurs or repeating tests without proper statistical adjustment or rationale).

Misrepresentations and omissions in the reported/published results that distort research activities and contributions, such as:

• Reporting Results
  • Failing to report methodology or study design.
  • Cherry picking (failing to report all study outcomes).
  • HARKing (Hypothesizing After Results are Known; i.e., presenting findings as if known all along).
  • Claiming demographics do not influence results when actually uncertain.
  • Inappropriate use or interpretation of figures and tables.
  • Failing to discuss or present study limitations.
  • Failing to submit null results for publication.
  • Inappropriate image manipulation.
• Citations
  • Failing to cite an individual whose ideas/data were used.
  • Publishing previous research data without a citation.
  • Selectively citing references.
• Authorship
  • Denying authorship to someone who meets authorship criteria.
  • Providing authorship to someone who does not meet authorship criteria.

Describes any practice that inaccurately represent the research processes, results, or contributions of individuals. Examples include:

• Mischaracterization of data by purposeful suppression or flawed interpretation
• Undisclosed duplication of publication
• Failure to declare material interests (COIs)
• Misrepresentation of qualifications, experience, or positions
• Mischaracterization of involvement in publications, such as
  • Gift, guest, ghost or coercive authorship
  • Denial of authorship (overt or by exclusion)
  • Concept of right of first refusal 

Definitions adopted with gratitude from Dr. James L. Mohler, Defining and Addressing Detrimental Research Practices(DRPs), August 2022 ARIO Conference; derived from 2013 RCUK Policy and Guidelines on Governance of Good Research Conduct

Represent violations of the trust and confidence that individuals and society have in the research enterprise and individual scientists to behave ethically and with integrity. The examples below highlight violations of the commitment to protect privacy and confidentiality (including between colleagues), minimize harms, and maximize benefits:

• Disclosing the identity of research participants
• Putting research participants at increased risk or danger without IRB review/approval and participant consent
• Failure to take reasonable care of participants, including an inadequate informed consent process
• Noncompliance with legal and ethical requirements and standards surrounding human subjects, animal subjects, and handling of biological specimens
• Improper conduct during peer review

Definition adopted with gratitude from Dr. James L. Mohler, Defining and Addressing Detrimental Research Practices(DRPs), August 2022 ARIO Conference; derived from 2013 RCUK Policy and Guidelines on Governance of Good Research Conduct

Characterizes a variety of harmful practices that occur within the context of a Mentor/Mentee or Supervisor/Subordinate relationship, including:

• Co-opt/Hijack/Misappropriate
  • Ideas, projects, grants, publications, intellectual property, connections, credit
• Overload/Divert/Oppress
  • Busy work, menial tasks, unrelated assignments
• Oversharing/Impropriety/Indiscretion
  • Personal life, controversial opinions/topics, biases, family, flirting/coquetry
• Uncommitted/Unsupportive
  • No time, uncaring, unencouraging, unreliable, avoidant, unhelpful
• Toxicity
  • Berates, curses, belittles, sabotages, cruel, disgruntled, bullying 

Definition adopted with gratitude from Dr. James L. Mohler, Defining and Addressing Detrimental Research Practices(DRPs), August 2022 ARIO Conference; derived from Chopra V, Edelson DP, Saint S. Mentorship Malpractice. JAMA. 2016;315(14):1453–1454. doi:10.1001/jama.2015.18884.