🌴Code of conduct

This page describes our policies on behavior and scientific integrity. Please read it carefully.

[Note: This code of conduct has not been regularly updated and contains links to outdated websites. It may not be directly applicable for use in a new lab. If you intend to use this in your own handbooks, please feel free to adapt it (with proper citation), but remember to update the text accordingly before implementation.]

Behavior

The DaRL Lab maintains a harassment-free and discrimination-free environment. All lab members must adhere to ASU's policies on discrimination and harassment, which can be found here. We strictly prohibit any form of verbal or physical harassment or discrimination based on gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion. Additionally, we do not tolerate acts such as intimidation, stalking, following, unauthorized photography or video recording, disrupting talks or events, inappropriate physical contact, or unwelcome sexual attention.

Photos & videos

In the DaRL Lab, we prioritize the privacy and comfort of our lab members. To ensure this, we strictly adhere to a policy of obtaining explicit knowledge and consent from lab members before taking any photos or video recordings of them. This is particularly crucial in situations where a lab member might not be aware of the photo being taken, making it essential to seek their consent beforehand (e.g., capturing a still from a video during an experiment).

To eliminate any uncertainty regarding awareness of photo-taking, direct consent must be obtained from lab members before any images are captured. Additionally, before sharing any photos on social media, consent must be sought again. This approach is implemented to show respect for individuals' privacy and recognize that people have diverse levels of comfort concerning being photographed, especially when those photos are shared on social media.

It is important to emphasize that this policy also extends to our research participants. Unless a participant explicitly requests it, taking photos of them during an experiment is strictly prohibited, except for official video records, such as baby videos. However, if a parent specifically asks for a photo of themselves and/or their baby, we are more than happy to comply. In fact, we often use such photos, with parental permission, for recruiting participants on social media. The key principle here is that we must obtain explicit consent from everyone involved before proceeding with any photography activities.

Confidentiality

All research data and materials are considered confidential until they are publicly shared, and it is imperative to treat them as such. Our IRB conducts thorough reviews of our research practices to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to the data. It is your responsibility to safeguard confidential materials and prevent any unauthorized access. This entails the following measures:

• Never share your lab resource credentials with individuals outside the lab.

• Avoid writing down passwords to maintain the confidentiality of our data and materials.

• Refrain from discussing or sharing participant information with anyone outside the lab, including identifiable details like names, contact information, performance in studies, and correspondence with parents.

• Do not store confidential materials on personal devices for more than a temporary period.

• When using data outside the lab, delete all local copies after use, and ensure that no one else can view or access the data, including videos.

• Never allow unapproved individuals to enter the lab unaccompanied, and if such a situation arises, ensure they cannot access any confidential information.

Scientific integrity

Embracing Mistakes

In the realm of science, mistakes are a natural part of the process. We understand that errors can occur, and our policy is clear: making mistakes is acceptable, but hiding them is not. If any mishap happens, promptly inform a lab manager so we can address it properly. Preserving the integrity of our research is our utmost priority, and timely awareness allows us to rectify issues and prevent their recurrence.

Research misconduct

We maintain a zero-tolerance stance towards research misconduct, such as fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or violating journal policies on data, materials, and code sharing. ASU's policies here on research conduct provide further insights. If you ever feel pressured to achieve success to the point where you contemplate engaging in research misconduct, please reach out to Hua immediately. We will adjust your workload to alleviate any undue pressure.

It is a fabrication to submit a letter without the content of recommenders/co-authors.

Commitment to Open Science

Our approach to open science is straightforward: we strive to share all data, materials, and code upon posting a preprint or publishing a paper whenever feasible. In some instances, constraints may prevent immediate sharing, such as legal obligations or the need to avoid being preempted before publication. In such cases, explicit permission from Hua is essential before posting any data, materials, or code publicly.

We follow a standard practice of posting preprints of articles on platforms like Arxiv simultaneously with conference submissions whenever possible. However, adherence to this practice may be subject to specific circumstances.

Reproducibility

In our lab, reproducible research is of utmost importance. If you provide someone else with your raw data, they should be able to precisely replicate your results. This rigorous process is essential because any inability to reproduce results suggests errors in the analysis, undermining the trustworthiness of the findings. Reproducibility is a fundamental aspect of scientific practice, and we expect it to be upheld in all projects within the lab.

Organized and Documented Analysis Pipeline To achieve reproducibility, it is crucial to maintain an organized and well-documented analysis pipeline. Thorough note-taking at each stage of the analysis is imperative. This includes recording the procedures and their sequence, starting from data pre-processing, running models, conducting statistical tests, and documenting analysis scripts with clear and comprehensive comments. This level of documentation ensures that an outsider can easily understand and replicate the entire analysis process. All this should always be done via the lab's established operating protocols: via Slack, Trello, and version-controlled analysis scripts (see Communication).

How to share data and materials

Our lab follows a flexible approach to sharing data, materials, and code, recognizing that different projects may have unique sharing requirements. While the Open Science Framework is commonly used for sharing, we also appreciate platforms like GitHub and Paper with Code, among others. However, before posting any data, materials, or code publicly, it is essential to have a discussion with Hua to ensure compliance with our sharing policies. This ensures that appropriate permissions are obtained and that the sharing aligns with the specific needs of each project.

Authorship

• Typically, the individual or team leading a project will be credited as the first author (or co-first author in collaborative cases). Hua usually assumes the last author position, except when another PI primarily guides the project, and Hua participates as a secondary PI. It is crucial to have an early discussion with Hua about authorship when initiating a new project, and documenting the outcomes of that discussion in Slack.

• Decisions about authorship should be made as early in the writing process as possible, ideally as soon as it is clear that a project is publishable. However, In our lab, projects are like thrilling adventures, and everyone's role is vital! As we collaborate, roles may evolve: new contributors may join the author list, and people's placement in the author list may shift. Changes in authorship must always be open to all authors. All of these issues will be discussed openly and respectfully, and you should feel free to bring them up if you are not sure of your authorship status or feel you are not getting the credit you deserve for a paper. So, embrace the camaraderie, keep the lines of communication open, and let's create extraordinary research that makes our lab proud! Remember, we're in this together, and your unique talents could lead you to a well-deserved spot on the author list!

• Responsibility and rights of the first author:

  • Except in exceptional circumstances, the first author should write the bulk of the first draft of the paper, including the preparation of tables and figures, and should manage submission duties such as drafting the cover letter, preparing the manuscript in the correct format, online submission, and checking proofs. These responsibilities may be shifted through group discussion, particularly if a potential co-author needs to do more to earn authorship or if someone has not contributed as much as others.

  • The first author will also be responsible for the maintenance of the paper/project.

    • Developing a paper project page on the group website for any submitted manuscript (see above for guidelines);

    • Take responsibility for the publication, making sure that the data are accurate, that all deserving authors have been credited, and that all authors have given their approval to the final draft; the first author also handles the bulk of the resubmission process and responses to inquiries after publication.

  • The first author collaborates with Hua to determine the final order of the author list.

• Responsibility of other co-authors:

  • Co-authors play a crucial role in our research journey. They actively engage in idea generation, research design, data collection, analysis, and manuscript drafting. Collaboration and communication are key!

  • In general, co-authors participate in discussions with the first author and respect their arrangements. However, co-authors are always encouraged to contribute more and seek accountability in the author list. If a co-author's contributions surpass those of others, and they take on first-author responsibilities, they may rightfully become the first author.

• In most cases, Hua's involvement in research conducted using lab resources (e.g., lab computers or software) makes his an author of resulting manuscripts. However, there are exceptions when students collaborate with other researchers, which is highly encouraged! In such cases, the following points should be considered:

  • (a) Discuss the authorship arrangement with Hua ahead of time if collaborating with other researchers.

  • (b) If Hua is not a co-author on a particular project, do not assume that he will provide guidance or feedback for that project.

  • (c) Hua will not serve as the IRB supervisor for projects in which he is not directly involved.

• Undergraduate and Master Interns are acknowledged by name for their valuable contributions to projects, such as testing studies and collecting data. If an intern's involvement goes beyond typical work and they make significant intellectual contributions, they may be considered as co-authors. We value everyone's contributions and encourage open discussions about authorship to ensure proper recognition and credit. Keep up the great work!

Notifying co-authors of research products

It's always a good idea to keep your co-authors informed about the progress of research — it's just a nice thing to do. The only cases where it is absolutely mandatory to be in touch with co-authors, however, are about research products: when a paper, poster, or other product is preprinted, submitted, revised, or published.

At the very least, you must notify co-authors when any of these things happen and provide them with a copy of the research product in question (even if there wasn't time to wait for them to approve it). Most of the time, you should be working with co-authors directly on editing these products before any of these things happen (though for co-authors whose contributions are basically complete, it's fine to, e.g., post a quick Slack message to indicate that you've submitted a poster).

Respecting co-authors' consent is of utmost importance. Nobody appreciates their name being used without permission or finding themselves listed on something they didn't approve. Hence, it is advisable to have open discussions with Hua and other co-authors before submitting any research product, allowing sufficient time for feedback. Offering Hua at least a week's notice will facilitate a productive collaboration process.

Old projects and shared ownership of ideas

When people abandon projects that are subsequently re-opened, or when people come up with ideas during their time in the DaRL Lab but don't carry those ideas to fruition until after they've left the lab, there is some inherent ambiguity about how to deal with authorship and collaboration.

Here are a few general guidelines about these situations:

• If someone initiates a project but later transfers it to someone else, they typically grant first authorship to the new person while still having the option to be a middle author if they wish.

• If data collection occurs but remains unanalyzed or unwritten one year after its completion, Hua has the right to reassign the project to someone else to expedite publication. However, the data collector can still be an author if they desire. This policy ensures data doesn't go unpublished while prioritizing the original data collector.

• If someone generates a research idea while in the lab and benefits from lab resources, discussions with labmates, and Hua's input, it counts as a genuine research contribution. Therefore, if that person goes on to conduct research based on the lab-developed idea in other grad schools, they must invite Hua and anyone else who contributed to collaborate on the project. Remember that ideas are the lifeblood of science: if someone contributed to the development of your idea, then you are ethically obligated to give that person credit when your idea comes to fruition (in many cases, this means authorship).

Presentation with talks and posters

• If you are interested in presenting work on which you collaborate with others, you should get their approval before moving forward with plans for presentation. In situations where more than one collaborator wants to present the same data, the first author generally has priority, though collaborating and turn-taking are always preferable.

• If you are presenting on a specific paper, the co-authors of that paper should be offered authorship on the presentation.

• If you are presenting on multiple papers and someone is a co-author of most or all of those papers, that person should be offered authorship on the presentation.

• If you are presenting multiple papers, each with unique authors, you should acknowledge co-authors as collaborators but do not need to offer them co-authorship.

• A very general rule of thumb for talk and poster authorship is that you should offer authorship to anyone who is a collaborator on at least 60% of the results you present.

Reporting

If you notice someone acting in violation of these lab policies in any way, please tell Hua immediately, in person or in a direct message on Slack. This could be if you observe someone being harassed, or are harassed yourself; if you observe someone being mistreated or feel that you have been mistreated; or if you observe someone violating any part of this code of conduct or University policy. Your concern will be treated confidentially unless it must be reported to the Title IX office (see reporting rules HERE). If Hua is the cause of your concern, please contact the Chair, Prof. Ross Maciejewski.

If you have any suggestions about lab culture, how we do things, or anything at all, you are always welcome to contact Hua or a lab manager to discuss. Additionally, if you have feedback that you wish to share but don't want to discuss in person, you may share it via the DaRL Lab Feedback Form.

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