Research practices - sparklabnyc/resources GitHub Wiki
Use this page as a quick reference for good practices and the process of approaching a project.
What do we expect
All lab members are expected to:
- Ask clear research questions — start each project with a well-defined question or hypothesis.
- Use appropriate methods — choose sound study workflows and validated tools for analysis.
- Document your work — keep your code, data, and notes organized and updated frequently.
- Practice open science — share methods and findings transparently whenever possible.
- Collaborate respectfully — treat team members, partners, and communities with fairness and respect.
- Protect data responsibly — follow our Ethics and IRB guidelines for handling sensitive or human-subject data.
- Uphold high integrity — report results honestly, acknowledge limitations, and give credit for contributions.
Key practices and habits
- Keep clear notes and comments on work.
- Practice version control and always leave backups of your work.
- Prepare clear figures and visuals that accurately reflect your results.
- Peer-review each other's code and writing
- Cite and acknowledge all collaborators, datasets, and sources properly.
Before you start
- Talk with your PI or Mentor to confirm your question, methods, and feasibility of your project
- Check whether IRB approval is needed, see more on IRB and Rascal
- Create documentation and management plans to keep the organization of your project