KSC Research Compliance Training Guide: Using the CITI Online Training System

What is “Research Compliance Training”?

Research Compliance Training refers to a diverse suite of training modules designed to educate individuals about sensitive topics related to conducting research, or in some cases, to conducting any externally funded activity, including those of a purely educational or creative nature.

Why do I need to know about it?

You need to be aware of the various training modules required by Keene State College, and be able to determine which ones apply to you. Not every person needs to complete every training module. It will be different from person to person, depending on their unique circumstances.

These requirements are in place to protect you as well as the institution, and are often rooted in federal requirements. Thus, if you aren’t in compliance, then Keene State isn’t in compliance…and that can place the institution at risk for fines, penalties, and possible exclusion from receiving federal dollars through grants, cooperative agreements, and other forms of financial assistance. Not good.

Where can I find information about the requirements that might apply to me?

You can find information in the “Compliance” section of the OSPR website: http://www.keene.edu/grants/.

All investigators at Keene State College are required to comply with the Mandatory Research Integrity Training Policy of the institution, as well as the Financial Conflict of Interest screening/disclosure process and training.

You may read the Mandatory Research Integrity Training policy here:
Mandatory Research Integrity Training policy

You may read the Financial Conflicts of Interest in Research and Educational Activities policy here:
Financial Conflicts of Interest in Research and Educational Activities policy

What is CITI?

CITI is the online training provider we contract with in order to meet our obligations around research compliance training. CITI has a wide array of training modules available, only some of which does Keene State subscribe to. We currently subscribe to, and you may take free of charge, the following types of training:

• Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training (required of any individual paid from an external grant to conduct research, including faculty, students, and staff)
• Institutional Review Board (IRB) Protection of Human Subjects Training (required for any individual conducting human subjects research, regardless of funding status)
• Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Training (required for any individual conducting animal research, regardless of funding status)
• Financial Conflicts of Interest (FCOI) in Research and Educational Activities Training (required of individuals responsible for the design, conduct, or reporting of any externally sponsored research or educational activity, or those seeking funding for such)

See detailed instructions for accessing CITI on the following pages.

How do I register for CITI?

From any computer, use your internet browser to go to https://www.citiprogram.org/, click “Register”, and follow the 7 steps shown in the following screen shots.

STEP 1: Affiliate yourself with Keene State College by typing it in the search box. Once Keene State College has been selected, click on “Continue to Step 2”.

STEP 2: Enter your Name, email address and a secondary email address of your choosing. Click on “Continue to Step 3”.

STEPS 4 & 6: : Self Explanatory (not shown in screenshot)—provide the information requested. Although it is required that you respond to each item in Step 4, you will notice the demographic questions allow you to check “Prefer not to answer” as your response.

STEP 5: Choose “No” and leave professional affiliation blank. At the bottom of Step 5, you will be asked if CITI can contact you regarding participation in research surveys. Choose “No if you do not want to receive a survey from the CITI company, “Yes” if you do. (most people check “no”)

STEP 7 Select the course module(s) you would like to take, and click “Complete Registration” You will then need to select the courses (training modules) you would like to take.

See detailed instructions on course selection on the following pages.

How do I select courses within CITI?

As part of the CITI registration process (Step 7), you will need to select the courses appropriate to your situation (you can also add additional course modules at another time). The courses you select will be determined by the type of research or other activities you are conducting, whether or not it is funded by an external agency (e.g., a grant), and other specific requirements that may be applicable given your unique situation. For more information, see guidance on page 1 of this document. If you still have questions, contact Penny Miceli.

To select your curriculum, you will be provided with a series of enrollment questions:

QUESTION 1: This is where you can choose to add the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) course to your curriculum, if it is applicable to you. In the sample below, I have chosen the version of the RCR course tailored to Social and Behavioral researchers, because that is most closely aligned with my discipline/major. You would pick the one that is a closest fit for you, or “not at this time” if it is not required of you and you don’t wish to take it.

QUESTION 2: This is where you can choose to add the Financial Conflicts of Interest (FCOI) in Research and Educational Activities course to your curriculum, if it is applicable to you. For most students, this is not required and students will most likely check “no”.

QUESTION 3: This is where you can choose to add the Human Subjects Research course to your curriculum, if it is applicable to you. You should choose the version of the course that most closely matches your activities. For example, if you are a student conducting no more than minimal risk research, there is a special course for you. But you are welcome to take any of the other versions that you feel may be more appropriate for you. If you do not do research with human subjects, simply do not make a selection at all.

QUESTION 4: This is where you can choose to add the Good Clinical Practice course to your curriculum, if it is applicable to you. Individuals intending to work in clinical settings might benefit from this. If this is not applicable to you, simply do not make a selection.

QUESTION 5: This is where you can choose to add the Laboratory Animal Welfare (IACUC) course to your curriculum, if it is applicable to you. You will choose the boxes that apply to you. In the below example, I have chosen “Working with the IACUC” (the basic IACUC course), and also the “Frogs, Toads, or other Amphibians” species specific modules. Your selection might differ based on the type of work you do. If you don’t do animal research at all, simply do not make any selections. Finally, click “Complete Registration”.

As you begin completing your courses, keep the following pointers in mind:

• You do not need to complete a course in one sitting. You can log in and out as many times as you need, and your progress thus far will be reflected when you return. As you can see above, I have some courses that I have not yet “started”, and one that I’ve completed/passed, for which I can print my completion report.
• For each course, you will have a series of topics, each with their own on-screen readings, case studies, and sometimes videos to help you learn the material. CITI requires you to go through the topics in order, as the material in later sections builds on material in earlier sections.
• You will periodically encounter quizzes along the way, testing your understanding of what you just read or viewed. DON’T WORRY! This is a learning exercise. If you miss something, it will explain what you’ve missed and why, and refer you back to the material. As long as you meet the minimum passing rate for the quizzes you are fine. If you don’t meet the minimum, you will need to retake the quiz after revisiting the material in a little more detail. This is not a problem.
• If the material is very new to you, you will likely need to take more time and read more slowly than someone who has had training in the materials before. Those taking the courses as a “refresher” may find they can work more quickly.
• Above all, keep in mind the goal of this kind of ethics training. Our society will be a better, more ethical and just place by virtue of these principles. And the research enterprise of our nation depends on the public trust that researchers are doing the right thing. This is a step toward that worthy goal. Remember what you learn here, whether you go on to conduct research as part of your career, or whether you someday find yourself on the other side of the equation as a research subject/participant. Ethics in research matters