which of the following most accurately describes u.s. federal policy related to rcr instruction?

The correct description is: Some federal agencies have RCR policies, but they differ in terms of the particular format of training that is required.

Why this is correct

• Major funders such as NIH, NSF, and USDA-NIFA all require Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) or Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR) training, but their formats and details differ.

• For example, NIH emphasizes substantial in‑person, discussion‑based training (typically around 8 contact hours) and allows online modules only as supplements.

• NSF and USDA-NIFA allow institutions more flexibility and often accept fully online courses (e.g., CITI RCR) as meeting their requirements, as long as the institution has an approved training plan.

Why the other statements are wrong (typical options)

• Claims that no federal agencies require RCR training are incorrect; multiple agencies explicitly tie RCR/RECR training to grant funding.

• Claims that all federal agencies are required to have an RCR policy and all policies are uniform are also inaccurate; policies vary in who must be trained, how often, and in what instructional format.

TL;DR: U.S. federal policy on RCR instruction is not completely uniform across agencies; several agencies require it, but the exact training format and implementation differ, making “some agencies have RCR policies, but they differ in the format of training required” the best answer.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.