Ensuring Scientific Rigor and Alignment with Federal "Gold Standard of Science" Expectations
To support faculty and research administrators in responding to these requirements, the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) provides the following guidance and sample language that investigators may adapt when responding to sponsor requirements related to scientific rigor (e.g., Gold Standard Science statements).
In many cases, this content can be incorprated into existing research strategy or methods sections.
The following sections reflect core principles identified in federal guidance on Gold Standard Science and the framework aligns with federal directive emphasizing that research should be:
- Reproducible and transparent
- Subject to unbiased peer review
- Ethically conducted and reported
- Accessible and well-documented
- Accountable and open to scrutiny
Core Principles of Scientific Rigor
In proposals, researchers should describe how methods, data, and workflows will be documented and shared to support reproducibility.
Recommended practices:
- Develop Data Management & Sharing Plans (DMSPs) consistent with sponsor requirements
- Maintain thorough documentation and metadata for datasets, code, and protocols
- Share data, code, and materials in appropriate repositories when feasible
- Use version-controlled tools (e.g., Git-based platforms) to track changes
Investigators are encouraged to work with Marriott Library's Research Data Management Services to develop compliant Data Management and Sharing Plans, identify appropriate repositories, and ensure proper documentation and metadata.
All research activities must adhere to institutional and federal policies governing responsible conduct of research.
Key expectation:
- Completion of Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training
- Compliance with IRB, IACUC, biosafety, and other regulatory requirements
- Adherence to institutional policies on research misconduct and authorship
- Transparent reporting of methods, results (including negative findings), and limitations
Additional support for ethical authorship and publication practices is available through Marriott Library Author Services.
Scientific findings should be evaluated through rigorous and impartial processes.
Best practices:
- Submit work to journals with robust peer review standards
- Disclose all conflicts of interest in proposal, publications, and presentations
- Participate responsibly in peer review and editorial activities
Library Author Services can assist in identifying reputable journals with strong peer review practices.
Research outputs should be sufficiently documented and accessible to enable validation and reuse.
Recommended approaches:
- Deposit datasets in trusted repositories appropriate to the field
- Assign persistent identifiers (e.g., DOIs) to datasets and code
- Provide clear documentation enabling reproducibility
- Comply with federal public access policies for publications and data
Investigators are encourged to work with Marriott Library's Research Data Management Services to develop compliant Data Management & Sharing Plans and identify appropriate repositories.
Data and research outputs should be shared in appropriate repositories. Marriott Library provides guidance on repository selection and supports institutional options such as The Hive. Author Services also supports open access publishing and compliance with federal public access requirements.
Clear, pre-specified research design strengthens credibility and reduces bias.
Examples:
- Pre-registration of studies (where applicable)
- Explicit description of hypotheses, methods, and analytic plans
- Documentation of deviations from original study plans
Templates for Adaptation:
Researchers should engage in ongoing evaluation and improvement of research practices.
Expectations include:
- Open acknowledgement and correction of errors
- Engagement with scholarly critique and replication efforts
- Maintenance of accessible researcher profiles (e.g., ORCID)
Investigators are encouraged to maintain researcher identifiers (e.g., ORCID) to enhance transparency, attribution, and accountability across research outputs.
Investigators are encouraged to collaborate with Marriott Library to support meeting federal expectations for scientific rigor. Researchers are encouraged to consult with subject librarians, data specialists, and scholarly communication experts for assistance with data management, publishing strategies, and compliance requirements.
Suggested Proposal Language (Template for Faculty and Research Administrators)
Faculty may include include or adapt the following language in proposals when requested to demonstrate alignment:
Scientific Rigor and Integrity Statement
This project adheres to the principles of scientific rigor, transparency, and reproducibility consistent with federal expectations for the Gold Standard of Science. The research team will employ well-documented and reproducible methodologies, maintain comprehensive data management and sharing practices, and ensure that all outputs are generated and reported in accordance with ethical and professional standards.
Data, code, and supporting materials will be documented and shared in appropriate repositories in alignment with sponsor requirements. Study design, analytical methods, and reporting will follow best practices to minimize bias and increase reproducibility, including pre-registration/transparent reporting/validated methodologies, as applicable.
All personnel will comply with institutional policies on responsible conduct of research, conflict of interest disclosure, and regulatory oversight. Research findings will be disseminated through peer reviewed venues and made accessible in accordance with federal public access requirements.