Responsible Science for Accounting & Finance Special Interest Group

About the SIG

The AFAANZ Responsible Science for Accounting & Finance Special Interest Group (SIG) brings together researchers, educators, doctoral candidates and research leaders who share an interest in strengthening the processes through which accounting and finance research is conceived, designed, conducted, communicated and evaluated.

The SIG is founded on an inclusive and topic-neutral understanding of responsible science. It does not prescribe which research topics, questions, methods or perspectives researchers should pursue. Rather, it focuses on the quality and responsibility of the research process, recognising that worthwhile research can address a diverse range of questions and employ many different theoretical, methodological and empirical approaches.

Purpose

The SIG aims to foster a constructive community of practice around responsible research process in accounting and finance. Its purpose is to encourage reflection, learning and practical improvement across the research lifecycle—from the initial development of a research idea through research design, execution, reporting, dissemination and evaluation.

Particular attention will be given to:

• research design quality and discipline;
• credibility, transparency and research integrity;
• openness and reproducibility where feasible;
• thoughtful documentation of research decisions and processes;
• responsible use of generative artificial intelligence and other emerging research tools;
• responsible research training, supervision and mentoring; and
• capacity building for doctoral candidates, early-career researchers and the wider accounting and finance research community.

The SIG will provide a collegial setting in which members can exchange experiences, examine emerging challenges and develop practical approaches suited to the diverse research traditions represented within accounting and finance.

Proposed activities

Over time, subject to time and resource constraints, the SIG’s activities might include:

• workshops and seminars on responsible research practice;
• sessions on the responsible use of GenAI across different stages of research;
• research-design and idea-development activities;
• mentoring and capacity-building opportunities;
• discussions of transparency, openness, pre-registration, replication and reproducibility;
• collaborative sessions involving researchers at different career stages;
• engagement with emerging developments affecting research practice, training and evaluation;
• SIG activities associated with the annual AFAANZ Conference; and
• additional events hosted by participating institutions across Australia and New Zealand.

Activities will be designed to combine informed discussion with practical application. Wherever possible, the SIG will create opportunities for members not merely to hear about responsible research practices, but to explore how those practices can be applied thoughtfully within their own research settings.

Inaugural Melbourne sessions

The SIG is already planning its inaugural Melbourne-based sessions for late September-early October 2026, with events to be provisionally hosted by RMIT University and Swinburne University of Technology.

These sessions will focus on the theme:

Responsible Use of GenAI in Research

The events will explore how GenAI can assist research while preserving researcher judgment, intellectual ownership, transparency, methodological discipline and accountability. Further information about dates, formats and registration will be announced shortly.

Who should join the SIG?

Membership is open to AFAANZ members across accounting, finance and related fields, including:

• established and emerging researchers;
• educators and research supervisors;
• doctoral and research students;
• journal editors and reviewers;
• research leaders and administrators; and
• colleagues interested in improving research practice and research training.

No prior specialist knowledge of responsible or open science is required. The SIG welcomes both experienced scholars and those beginning to explore what responsible research practice means within their own work.

Join the inaugural membership community

The inaugural annual membership fee is $20.

By joining, members will help shape the SIG’s activities and become part of a supportive community committed to strengthening the credibility, transparency, integrity and quality of accounting and finance research.

We warmly invite AFAANZ members to join the Responsible Science for Accounting & Finance SIG and contribute to its inaugural program of activities.

MEMBERSHIP

To become a member of the Responsible Science for Accounting & Finance SIG you will first need to become a member of AFAANZ. The fee for AFAANZ membership is AU$148.50 including GST for applicants residing in Australia and AU$135 for applicants residing outside Australia. Note that membership is based on a calendar year.

The fee for the Calibration of Learning Standards SIG is AU$22 including GST for applicants residing in Australia and AU$20 for applicants residing outside Australia. Click on the purchase button to gain access to this SIG. You may also "Join this Group" further below to be keep up to date with the latest news and events.