Ethics are broadly the set of rules, written and unwritten, that govern our expectations of our own and others’ behaviour. Show Effectively, they set out how we expect others to behave, and why. While there is broad agreement on some ethical values (for example, that murder is bad), there is also wide variation on how exactly these values should be interpreted in practice. Research ethics are the set of ethics that govern how scientific and other research is performed at research institutions such as universities, and how it is disseminated. This page explains more about research ethics, and how you can ensure that your research is compliant. What are Research Ethics?When most people think of research ethics, they think about issues that arise when research involves human or animal subjects. While these issues are indeed a key part of research ethics, there are also wider issues about standards of conduct. These include the importance of publishing findings in a transparent way, not plagiarising others’ work, and not falsifying work. The Importance of Research Ethics Research ethics are important for a number of reasons.
Source: Resnick, D. B. (2015) What is Ethics in Research and Why is it Important? Codes of EthicsGovernment agencies who fund or commission research often publish codes of conduct for researchers, or codes of ethics. For example, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) both publish ethical codes. Some ethical codes may have the force of law behind them, while others may simply be advisable. Be aware that even if you do nothing illegal, doing something unethical may end your research career. Many or even most ethical codes cover the following areas:
Source: Resnick, D. B. (2015) What is Ethics in Research and Why is it Important? List adapted from Shamoo A and Resnik D. 2015. Responsible Conduct of Research, 3rd ed. (New York: Oxford University Press). Further Reading from Skills You Need The Skills You Need Guide for Students Develop the skills you need to make the most of your time as a student. Our eBooks are ideal for students at all stages of education, school, college and university. They are full of easy-to-follow practical information that will help you to learn more effectively and get better grades. The Role of the Ethics CommitteeMost universities have an ethics committee. This is required to scrutinise all research proposals, to ensure that they do not raise any ethical issues. This will generally include research for master’s and undergraduate degrees, although undergraduate research may be covered by a broader research proposal from your supervisor. There is likely to be a standard form to complete for ethical approval, which will cover who will be involved, how you will recruit your participants, and what steps you will take to ensure that they have provided informed consent. There is an example form on our page Writing a Research Proposal, which also contains more detail about how to go about preparing a proposal. The ethics committee’s role is to consider that what you are doing is appropriate and proportionate to your research aims. If a research proposal raises ethical issues, the committee will ask the researcher to look again at the issue, and consider whether they could do it differently. For example, if you are proposing to carry out a study on a particular disease, and you want to ask all your participants whether they are married and have any children, the committee may want to know why this is relevant. It may be relevant (for example, if you think the disease may be reduced by living in a family), in which case, you will need to justify this. The committee may also suggest alternative methods that they think are more suitable for the target group, or additional precautions that you should take. You cannot start your research until you have been granted ethical approval, which will be granted formally, together with an approval number. When you publish your research, whether as a thesis or in one or more journal articles, you will need to provide details of the ethical approval, including this number. If you are unsure how to behave in a particular situation……and think you may have an ethical dilemma, then you should always seek advice before you act. If you are a student, your supervisor should be happy to help and advise you. If necessary, they will be able to advise you about who else to ask. As a researcher, you should consult more senior colleagues around, either at your own institution or others, who should be happy to help you. After all, it is in everyone’s interests to promote research ethics, and support the integrity and reputation of research. What are the 3 examples of research ethics?Strive for honesty in all scientific communications. Honestly report data, results, methods and procedures, and publication status. Do not fabricate, falsify, or misrepresent data. Do not deceive colleagues, research sponsors, or the public.
What are the violations in research?Mistreatment of research subjects is considered research misconduct (no ethical review approval, failure to follow approved protocol, absent or inadequate informed consent, exposure of subjects to physical or psychological harm, exposure of subjects to harm due to unacceptable research practices or failure to maintain ...
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