What is Research Ethics?

Research is the pillar of knowledge, and it constitutes an integral part of progress.

Ethics are broadly the set of rules, written and unwritten, that govern our expectations of our own and others’ behavior.

Research ethics is a core aspect of the research work and the foundation of research design.
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.
 Importance of Research Ethics

Research ethics are important for a number of reasons.

*They promote the aims of research, such as increasing knowledge.
*They support the values required for collaborative work, such as mutual respect and fairness. This is essential
because scientific research depends on collaboration between researchers and groups.
*They mean that researchers can be held accountable for their actions. Many researchers are supported by
public money, and regulations on conflicts of interest, misconduct, and research involving humans or animals
are necessary to ensure that money is spent properly.
*They ensure that the public can trust research. For people to support and fund research, they have to be
confident in it.
*They support important social and moral values, such as the principle of doing no harm to others.
 Ethical Issues In Research
• Study design and ethics approval
• Good research should be well adjusted, well-planned, appropriately designed, and ethically approved.

• To conduct research to a lower standard may constitute misconduct. This may appear to be a strict standard,
but it highlights the basic requirement of a researcher to conduct a research responsibly.

• To achieve this, a research protocol should be developed and adhered to. It must be carefully agreed to by all
contributors and collaborators, and the precise roles of each team member should be spelled out early,
including matters of authorship and publications.

• Research should seek to answer specific questions, rather than just collect data.
 Data analysis
• It is the responsibility of the researcher to analyze the data appropriately. Intentional omission of result may
cause misinterpretation and mislead the readers. Fabrication and falsification of data do constitute
misconduct.
• Authorship
• There is no universally agreed definition of authorship.
• It is generally agreed that an author should have made important contribution to the intellectual content,
including conceptualizing and designing the study, analyzing and interpreting the data.
• The author should also take responsibility to certify that the manuscript represents valid work and take public
responsibility for the work.
• Finally, an author is usually involved in drafting or revising the manuscript, as well as approving the
submitted manuscript.
• Data collection, editing of grammar and language, and other routine works by itself, do not deserve an
authorship.
• It is crucial to decide early on in the planning of a research who will be credited as authors, as contributors,
and who will be acknowledged.
 Conflicts of interest
This happens when researchers have interests that are not fully seeming and that may influence their judgments on what is
published.
These conflicts include personal, commercial, political, academic or financial interest.
Financial interests may include employment, research funding, stock or share ownership, payment for lecture or travel,
consultancies and company support for staff.
Such interests, where relevant, should be discussed in the early stage of research.
The researchers need to take extra effort to ensure that their conflicts of interest do not influence the methodology and
outcome of the research.
It would be useful to consult an independent researcher, or Ethics Committee, on this issue if in doubt.
When publishing, these conflicts of interest should be declared to editors, and readers will judge for themselves whether the
research findings are trustworthy.
 Redundant publication and plagiarism
Redundant publication occurs when two or more papers, without full cross reference, share the same hypothesis, data,
discussion points, or conclusions.
However, previous publication of an abstract during the proceedings of meetings does not prevent subsequent
submission for publication, but full disclosure should be made at the time of submission. This is also known as self-
plagiarism.
In the increasing competitive environment where appointments, promotions and grant applications are strongly
influenced by publication record, researchers are under intense pressure to publish, and a growing minority is seeking to
bump up their CV through dishonest means
On the other hand, plagiarism ranges from unreferenced use of others’ published and unpublished ideas, including
research grant applications to submission under “new” authorship of a complete paper, sometimes in different language.
 Research Methods
We know there are numerous research methods. However, when it comes to ethical considerations, some key questions
can help us find the right approach for our studies.
i. Which methods most effectively fit the aims of your research?
ii. What are the strengths and restrictions of a particular method?
iii. Are there potential risks when using a particular research method?
 Most ethical codes cover the following areas
Honesty and Integrity
This means that you need to report your research honestly, and that this applies to your methods (what you did), your data,
your results.
Objectivity
You should aim to avoid unfairness in any aspect of your research, including design, data analysis, interpretation, and peer
review.
For example, you should never recommend as a peer reviewer someone you know, or who you have worked with, and you
should try to ensure that no groups are unintentionally excluded from your research. This also means that you need to
disclose any personal or financial interests that may affect your research.
Carefulness
Take care in carrying out your research to avoid careless mistakes. You should also review your work carefully and critically
to ensure that your results are credible. It is also important to keep full records of your research. If you are asked to act as a
peer reviewer, you should take the time to do the job effectively and fully.
Openness
You should always be prepared to share your data and results, along with any new tools that you have developed, when you
publish your findings, as this helps to further knowledge and advance science. You should also be open to criticism and new
Respect for Intellectual Property
You should never plagiarise, or copy, other people’s work and try to pass it off as your own.
You should always ask for permission before using other people’s tools or methods, unpublished data or results.
Not doing so is plagiarism.
Obviously, you need to respect copyrights and patents, together with other forms of intellectual property, and always
acknowledge contributions to your research.
If in doubt, acknowledge, to avoid any risk of plagiarism.
Confidentiality
An important ethical principle of research is that the confidentiality of the information supplied by research subjects
and the secrecy of respondents must be respected. However, sometimes confidentiality is limited.
Responsible Publication
You should publish to advance to state of research and knowledge, and not just to advance your career. This means, in
essence, that you should not publish anything that is not new, or that duplicates someone else’s work.
Legality
You should always be aware of laws and regulations that govern your work, and be sure that you conform to them.
Human Subjects Protection
If your research involves people, you should make sure that you reduce any possible harm to the minimum, and maximize the
benefits both to participants and other people.
Animal Care
If you are using animals in your research, you should always be sure that your experiments are both necessary and well-
designed.

Applying for Ethical Approval

 Plagiarism and how to avoid it
Why is plagiarism a bad thing?
This session 1. Because it infringes academic ethics and academic norms
What is plagiarism?
Why is plagiarism a bad thing? 2. Because it is a form of theft and a type of fraud
What happens to plagiarists? 3. Because plagiarists ultimately cheat themselves
Can you spot plagiarism?
4. Because plagiarists cheat their fellow students
How can plagiarism be avoided?

5. Because plagiarism reflects incompetence

What happens to plagiarists?
What is
Plagiarism in
Research?
• Plagiarism is the unethical practice
of using words or ideas (either
planned or accidental) of another
author/researcher or your own
previous works without proper
acknowledgment. Considered as a
serious academic and intellectual
offense, plagiarism can result in
highly negative consequences such
as paper retractions and loss of
author credibility and reputation.
 So how can plagiarism be avoided?
Why do students plagiarise?
commonly cited reasons

1. The pressures of workload 2. Pressures to succeed

3. Poor understanding of the nature of plagiarism

confusion
‘cultural’ factors

respect for seniority

What goes on in other walks of life