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Research Ethics
It is important when conducting research that the researcher adheres to a strong set of ethical guidelines. Ethics ensure that the research is conducted without causing harm to any person. While modern research ethics began with the study of issues regarding the use of human subjects, it has evolved into a more comprehensive understanding of a wide range of norms of conduct (Resnik, 2010). Some of the different subject areas covered by research ethics norms are honesty, integrity, intellectual property, the use of human subjects, confidentiality and social responsibility. This paper will outline some of the ethical expectations of researchers with respect to each of these subjects.
Honesty and Integrity
The American College of Physicians' Ethics Manual (2011) states that "honesty and integrity must govern all stages of research, from the initial design and grant application to publication of results." What this means is that at no point during the research should the research lie or misrepresent what the research is about. The findings should be presented in an honest manner, even if those findings do not support the researcher's hypothesis. In addition, integrity should be taken to mean that researchers are independent, that they do not come to preconceived or biased conclusions no matter what their source of funding might be. The research should be conducted strictly for the sake of knowledge, rather than some other end that may infringe on the independence of the researcher.
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property is a big issue in research. The APA (Smith, 2011) notes that all substantive contributors to a work should receive authorship credits. Likewise, all credit should be given when a work is used in the production of the research. Proper citation of works and ideas used in research is necessary to maintain the academic integrity of...
It is considered unethical to "take ideas without giving credit to the originator," and doing so would be a violation of their ethical duty to give credit for other people's intellectual property.
The Use of Human Subjects
The use of human subjects was one of the original concepts in research ethics. At its basest, the research needs to be designed in order that harm does not come to the subjects as a result of their participation in the research. Whether there are risks or not, the researcher is in a unique position to understand the nature of the research in which the person will be a participant. This gives rise to the ethical duty of informed consent, where the research ensures that the participant is fully aware of the nature of the research before the participant consents to be a part of that research. Issues that should be covered during the informed consent process include the purpose of the research, the right to decline participation or withdraw once it has started, potential risks or adverse effects, the limits of confidentiality, incentives for participation and contact information (Smith, 2011). It is considered unethical to use in research human subjects who have not given fully informed consent.
Confidentiality
The APA also addresses the issue of confidentiality in research. All individuals involved in the research are considered to have a right to confidentiality and privacy. There are limits to confidentiality, and the researchers should not only be aware of those limits but inform the participants of those limits as well. There are laws that govern confidentiality, and those should be adhered to. Researchers may gather private information about their subjects, but they must undertake strong security measures to ensure that the confidentiality and privacy of research participants is maintained. This includes whatever data sharing might…
Works Cited:
American College of Physicians (2011). Research ethics and integrity. American College of Physicians. Retrieved October 7, 2011 from http://www.acponline.org/running_practice/ethics/issues/research/
Resnik, D. (2010). What is ethics in research and why is it important? National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Retrieved October 7, 2011 from http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/whatis.cfm
Smith, D. (2011). Five principles for research ethics. American Psychological Association. Retrieved October 7, 2011 from http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan03/principles.aspx
Wing, S. (2002). Social responsibility and research ethics in community-driven studies of industrialized hog production. Environmental Health Perspectives. 110 (5) 437-444.
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