Research Ethics

Dr Jennie Louise

Discipline of Philosophy

jennie.louise@adelaide.edu.au

Ethical Conduct of Research Conducting ethical research

An essential learning skill promoted in SACE

Responsibility of teachers and students to ensure ethical conduct in research projects

What is ethical conduct in research? What ethical issues arise in research

projects?

The Role of Researcher Research is a social practice The practice of research has defined aims

To produce knowledge and discover the truth This benefits society

Researchers have a defined role Certain privileges: e.g. regarded as experts,

status, autonomy, access to information The role therefore has corresponding duties

Ethical Duties in Research Researchers have an ethical responsibility

to conduct research in a way which can achieve the goals of research

while producing benefits and avoiding harms Analogy: playing a game - you should try to win,

but you have to play within the rules! Research which is unethically conducted

Fails to achieve the aims of the practice Causes harm which is not outweighed by the

benefits produced

Causes of Unethical Conduct Ignorance

Fail to identify or take seriously an ethical problem Not knowing appropriate practices/procedures

Perverse Incentives Pressure to get results, finish on time, get good

marks Lack of an ethical culture

No reflection on ethical implications of research ‘Following the rules’ instead of commitment to

ethical conduct

General Principles of Research Ethics

Integrity Commitment to search for truth and knowledge

Beneficence and non-maleficence Produce benefits, and avoid or minimise harms

Respect for persons Treat others as autonomous agents

Justice Ensure benefits and burdens of research are fairly

distributed

SACE Guidelines: Integrity

…but also plagiarism, interpretation of results, etc.

SACE Guidelines: Beneficence and Non-Maleficence

SACE Guidelines: Respect for Persons

SACE Guidelines: Justice

Integrity Necessary to achieve the aims of research, to

produce benefits and avoid harms Fraudulent or biased results don’t produce

knowledge, can cause harm Ensure that other motivations don’t

undermine good research For prestige, good marks, etc.

Understand the reasons for the rules and their importance

Integrity: Specific Ethical Problems

Plagiarism, failure to acknowledge sources Bad/biased methodology or study design Cherry-picking, fabrication, fraud, bias Sloppy or careless research practice Lack of transparency or accountability

Respect for Persons Treat others as autonomous agents

No treating others as mere means Potential benefits of research do not justify

failure to respect persons Failure to respect persons counts as a harm

Sensitivity to others’ beliefs and values Even if you think they’re misguided or wrong

Respect others’ free choices Even if you don’t agree with them!

Respect for Persons: Informed Consent

All participants must give fully informed and fully voluntary consent

Must understand the nature and purpose of the research

Must be informed of any risks or harms No coercion or undue influence (including

indirect pressure to participate) Free to withdraw at any time, without giving a

reason

Respect for Persons: Vulnerable Groups

Vulnerable groups Have impaired capacity to give adequate informed

consent Are unable, or less able, to protect their own

interests Require special protections and caution

Extra care given to ensuring understanding Negotiation and involvement Special thought to possible harms

Confidentiality, Privacy

All information about research subjects must be kept confidential Even if you don’t think it matters

Explicit consent of participants must be given before sharing their information

Attention and care to secure storage of data, procedures for handling information Guard against accidental violation as well as

deliberate violation (e.g. talking to friends)

Beneficence and Non-Maleficence

Produce benefits by research (less relevant here, but producing well-trained

researchers is a benefit) Avoid harms from research

Physical harms Psychological or emotional harms Social/cultural harms

Reflect on the consequences of the project and its results

Beneficence/Non-Maleficence: Specific Ethical Issues

Interview or Survey Design Could it lead to biased or distorted results? Could the questions cause distress, discomfort or

emotional harm? Controversial topics

Is the topic one which cannot realistically be researched in an unbiased, objective way?

Failure to protect confidentiality/privacy

Justice Benefits and burdens of research must be

fairly distributed Not OK to place a burden on one group in order to

produce a benefit for another Especially important for vulnerable

populations These are often‘over-researched’ Research designed to meet our needs, not theirs

Researchers as well as participants!

Case Study 1

Justin is doing his research project on wind turbine design and location. His father is a senior manager in an engineering company with contracts for wind turbine construction. Justin’s father asks an engineer on the wind turbine team to help Justin with his project. The engineer spends a great deal of time with Justin, showing him his work, explaining technical issues and helping him locate literature.

Case Study 1: Ethical Issues

Possible indirect coercive influence on the engineer to help Justin

Will the engineer be appropriately acknowledged for his assistance?

Importance of avoiding plagiarism or unattributed content when he writes up his project

Case Study 2

Molly wants to do her research project on eating disorders in teenage girls. She is planning to give a survey to her classmates and her friends outside school, which asks them (for example) whether they engage in binge-eating behaviour, self-induced vomiting, as well as about their body image and self-esteem.

Ethical Issues: Case Study 2 Potential for harm to participants

Questionnaire may cause/uncover psychological distress - can this be appropriately managed?

Confidentiality and privacy Highly sensitive information: how will she ensure this

remains confidential? (Could her subjects be identified from her project even if not

explicitly named?) Indirect pressure on friends to participate Potential for biased or unreliable results

Personal relationship with subjects may affect interpretation of data or honest reporting

Not a properly chosen/representative sample