RCR Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

While other CITI courses, such as the Social/Behavioral Research course and the Human Subjects Research course, cover some of the topics relevant to Responsible Conduct of Research, they do not address all of them.  Therefore they are NOT acceptable substitutions for the RCR course.

Revised 1/1/2023 

In order for CITI RCR training through another university to be considered, the following must be true:

• You have provided a record of completion listing the modules and score (via email to rcr-administrator@ncsu.edu);
• It must have been completed within the last 3 years and;
• It must include all the modules listed below in order to meet NC State’s requirements.

The CITI Responsible Conduct of Research (NC State University) course consists of eight modules:

• Plagiarism
• Authorship
• Collaborative Research
• Conflicts of Interest
• Data Management
• Mentoring
• Peer Review
• Research Misconduct

Revised 1/1/2023

Because NIH RCR requirements are program specific and face to face training is required, RCR compliance documentation is maintained at the program level. You should consult the NC State program director about your specific requirements.  NIH Fellows do not receive notifications to complete CITI RCR training.   To see more information about the NIH RCR requirements, see NOT-OD-10-019: Update on the Requirement for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research.

Revised 1/1/2023

Per RULE 10.15.01, Participants who have not taken one of the approved courses within the previous three (3) years are required to take either the online CITI Responsible Conduct of Research course within six (6) weeks from the date of appointment or enroll in one of the face-to-face courses the semester following their appointment on a NSF or NIFA – funded grant.

Revised 1/1/2023

If you have already completed the CITI Responsible Conduct of Research (NC State University) within the last three years, simply contact the RCR Administrator directly at  rcr-administrator@ncsu.edu and provide a copy of your record of completion from your CITI account

Revised 1/1/2023

The CITI RCR course currently consists of eight modules. A quiz is given after each. To successfully pass the course, you must complete all 8 required modules and achieve an average score of at least 80% on all quizzes. The course should take between 2 and 4 hours to complete.

Revised 1/1/2023

Section 10337 of the Act directed NSF to expand the requirement for responsible conduct in research training to include faculty and other senior personnel on NSF awards and expands the scope of such training to include mentoring training and training to raise awareness of research security risks as well as Federal export control, disclosure, and reporting requirements. In the PAPPG 23-1, NSF has added the mentorship topic and implemented the requirement for faculty and other senior personnel to also complete the RCR training for new proposals submitted on or due on or after July 31, 2023.  The RCR CITI course meets the current NSF requirements.

Revised 4/13/2023

National Science Foundation requires the completion of Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training by all undergraduate students funded, in part or in whole, from an NSF grant. This includes any undergraduate student who receives an NSF stipend while participating in an REU program at NC State.

REU students are not sent a system-generated notification of their need to complete RCR training. If we do not receive notification from the College Research Office, PI/Program Director, or other research personnel, we will not know to enroll said students in the training.

To notify the RCR Administrators that one or more REU students require enrollment in RCR training, the following information must be emailed to rcr-administrator@ncsu.edu:

• For each NC State REU student: Full name, email address, and/or Unity ID
• For each REU student whose home institution is not NC State: Full name, name of home institution, an email address at home institution, email address and/or Unity ID at NC State (if available)
• PI’s full name and email address
• The 6-digit Account # associated with each REU student’s stipend
• Start and end dates of the REU program

The RCR Administrators will enroll each REU student in the CITI Program’s RCR course and email them information about the training, including instructions on how to access and complete it. The RCR Administrator will also monitor and document each student’s progress through and completion of the training.

For more information about NC State’s Summer Research Programs please visit the Office of Undergraduate Research’s Summer Research Programs.

Revised 4/13/2023  

In accordance with RUL 10.15.01, failure to complete RCR training, if required, will result in the individual being removed from the sponsored project that triggered the requirement.

We strongly encourage you and/or the Principal Investigator of the funded project to notify the RCR administrator, as soon as possible, If you encounter circumstances that may prevent you from completing your RCR requirement on time.