Abstract
Our aim was to describe the research practices of doctoral students facing a dilemma to research integrity and to assess the impact of inappropriate research environments, i.e. exposure to ...(a) a post-doctoral researcher who committed a Detrimental Research Practice (DRP) in a similar situation and (b) a supervisor who did not oppose the DRP. We conducted two 2-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trials. We created 10 vignettes describing a realistic dilemma with two alternative courses of action (good practice versus DRP). 630 PhD students were randomized through an online system to a vignette (a) with (n = 151) or without (n = 164) exposure to a post-doctoral researcher; (b) with (n = 155) or without (n = 160) exposure to a supervisor. The primary outcome was a score from − 5 to + 5, where positive scores indicated the choice of DRP and negative scores indicated good practice. Overall, 37% of unexposed participants chose to commit DRP with important variation across vignettes (minimum 10%; maximum 66%). The mean difference 95%CI was 0.17 − 0.65 to 0.99;, p = 0.65 when exposed to the post-doctoral researcher, and 0.79 − 0.38; 1.94, p = 0.16, when exposed to the supervisor. In conclusion, we did not find evidence of an impact of postdoctoral researchers and supervisors on student research practices.
Trial registration:
NCT04263805, NCT04263506 (registration date 11 February 2020).
It is generally accepted and well described that the mechanism by which extreme-pressure (EP) and antiwear (AW) additives reduce the friction and wear of metallic surfaces under boundary lubrication ...is the formation of tribochemical films. Although investigations of diamond-like carbon (DLC)-coated surfaces showed improved tribological properties when lubricated by additivated oil, the mechanism responsible is not fully understood. Therefore, the aim of the investigation was to determine the mechanism responsible for the low-friction behaviour of W-containing DLC coatings when lubricated with polyalphaolefin (PAO) oil containing EP or AW additives and to obtain some further understanding to this important area.
The results of the present investigation clearly show that low-friction behaviour of boundary-lubricated W-DLC coatings is governed by formation of WS
2-containing tribofilms on the steel countersurface or exposed steel substrate, which reduce friction by up to 50%.
The aim of the present investigation was to obtain some further understanding of the mechanism responsible for low-friction behaviour of W-containing DLC coatings (W-DLC) when lubricated with EP ...additivated oil. Boundary lubricated wear and friction tests were performed under reciprocating sliding motion using a high frequency test rig and a contact pressure of 1.5
GPa. Additionally, some of the tests were performed in a load-scanning reciprocating test rig, with the contact pressure being in the range from 2.4 to 5.6
GPa. The influence of concentration of a sulphur-based EP additive on the friction behaviour was investigated.
This investigation showed that W-DLC coatings greatly improve the tribological properties of boundary-lubricated surfaces, especially when pairing coated and uncoated steel surfaces. The improved tribological behaviour was found to be governed by the gradual formation of a WS
2 type tribofilm on the steel counter-face or on revealed steel substrate. The friction level depends on the additive concentration.
Objective To explore the relationship between teaching scientific methodology in Year 2 of the medical curriculum and student attitudes towards and knowledge about science and scientific ...methodology.
Design Anonymous questionnaire survey developed for this purpose.
Setting Zagreb University School of Medicine, Croatia.
Participants A total of 932 students (response rate 58%) from all 6 years were invited to participate.
Main outcome measures Score on attitude scale with 45 Likert‐type statements and score on knowledge test consisting of 8 multiple choice questions.
Results The average attitude score for all students was 166 ± 22 out of a maximum of 225, indicating a positive attitude towards science and scientific research. The students' average score on the knowledge test was 3.2 ± 1.7 on 8 questions. Students who had finished Year 2 had the highest mean attitude (173 ± 24) and knowledge (4.7 ± 1.7) scores compared with other year groups (P < 0.001, anova and Tukey posthoc test). For students who had attended a mandatory Year 2 course on the principles of scientific research in medicine (Years 3 to 6), multiple linear regression analysis showed that knowledge test score (B = 3.4; SE = 0.4; 95% confidence interval 2.5–4.2; P < 0.001) and average grades (B = 7.6; SE = 1.5; 95% CI 4.6–10.6; P < 0.001) were significant predictors of attitude towards science, but not sex or failure to pass a year (B = − 0.6; SE = 1.7; 95% CI − 3.9–2.6; P = 0.707; and B = − 3.1; SE = 1.9; 95% CI − 6.8–5.7; P = 0.097, respectively).
Conclusion Medical students have generally positive attitudes towards science and scientific research in medicine. Attendance of a course on research methodology is related to a positive attitude towards science.
Aim To assess the prevalence of, attitudes towards and willingness to report different forms of academic dishonesty among medical students in a post‐communist transitional country.
Methods An ...anonymous, self‐administered questionnaire was distributed to medical students in Years 2−6 at the Zagreb University School of Medicine; 827 (70%) valid questionnaires were returned and analysed.
Results Most of the students (94%) admitted cheating at least once during their studies. The most frequent type of misconduct was ‘signing in an absent student on a class attendance list’ (89.1%), and the least frequent ‘paying for passing an examination’ (0.7%). The number of committed types of misconduct out of 11 listed types increased from Year 2 (median 2) to Year 6 (median 4). Cheating behaviours could be clustered into 4 groups based on self‐reported cheating, perceived prevalence of cheating, attitude towards cheating, and willingness to report cheating. The clustered behaviours that most students admitted to were perceived as the most frequent, more approved of and less likely to be reported. The strongest predictors of dishonest behaviour were attitude, perception of peer group behaviour and study year. Almost half (44%) the students said they would never report any form of cheating.
Conclusion Academic misconduct is widespread among medical students at the largest medical school in Croatia and its prevalence is greater than that reported for developed countries. This may be related to social and cultural factors specific to a country in the midst of a post‐communist transition to a market economy, and calls for measures to be instigated at an institutional level to educate against and prevent such behaviour.
Objective To investigate the relationship between psychological constructs related to professional and research integrity and moral reasoning among medical students.
Methods Medical students, ...2nd‐year (n = 208, 85.6% of 243 enrolled students), answered the moral reasoning test–defining issues test 2 (DIT2) and the Machiavellianism and Paulhus socially desirable responding (SDR) scales.
Results Students had the highest score on the post‐conventional schema of moral reasoning (mean ± standard deviation, 35.2 ± 11.6 of a possible 95) compared with personal interest (27.2 ± 12.3) and maintaining norms schemae (29.2 ± 11.5; P < 0.001, repeated‐measures anova). Female students scored higher than their male collegues on post‐conventional moral reasoning (37.6 ± 11.0 versus 31.2 ± 22.4, P < 0.001, independent‐sample t‐test). Of all 4 Machiavellianism subscales students scored highest on deceiving, where female students scored higher than their male colleagues (24.5 ± 4.2 versus 22.9 ± 5.1 of a possible 30; P = 0.037, independent‐sample t‐test). Female students also scored higher on the impression management subscale, whereas their male colleagues scored higher on the self‐deception subscale of the Paulhus SDR scale. Moral reasoning scores were associated with cynicism, deceiving and flattering Machiavellianism scores, but not with Paulhus SDR scores. Multiple regression analysis showed the Machiavellianism amorality score as a significant negative predictor (β = −0.183, P = 0.017) and female sex as a positive predictor (β = 0.291, P < 0.001) for the post‐conventional schema score on the DIT2. The Machiavellianism flattering score was a significant negative predictor for the personal interest schema score (β = −0.215, P = 0.006).
Conclusions Although moral reasoning is generally seen as independent of variables related to personality, our study indicated that Machiavellianism, especially its amorality and flattering subscales, were associated with moral reasoning. These results have important implications for teaching ethics and the responsible conduct of research in different cultural and socio‐economic settings.
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