BS Information Technology

Angelica M. Aquino
School of Computer Studies and Technology
Research Ethics
DO
YOU
VALUE
Things?
Research Ethics
TOPIC OUTLINE:

Definition of Research Ethics
Why study research ethics?
Research Participants
Ethical Principles
Cases involving ethical rules

Research is defined as any form of disciplined
inquiry that aims to contribute to
a body of knowledge or theory.
Research is a social activity.


Research ethics refers to the moral principles
guiding research from its inception through to its
completion and publication of results and
beyond.

Research and Research Ethics
Research design
It is an ethical behaviour for a
researcher
to use resources efficiently and
effectively
to work hard
to ensure the well-being of all
colleagues and participants


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Individuals from whom the researcher may
obtain data.
Through interaction (e.g., surveys)
Identifiable private information (e.g.,
student records)

Effective and ethical relationships
will aid to make more rapid progress
on the project

Research Participants
Ethics is defined as the norms for conduct that
distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable
behavior.

Ethics in research is actually the application of
ethical principles to a variety of topics involving
research.
These include the design and implementation of research
Ethics in Research
Is the application of fundamental principles to
a variety of topics involving research.

provides guidelines for the responsible conduct
of research.

Educates and monitors the conduct of
research to ensure high ethical standard.

Definition of Research Ethics
Why have ethical standards?
Protect rights and welfare of participants
Ensure accuracy of scientific knowledge
Protect intellectual rights
Where do standards come from?
Federal Policy for the Protection of Human
Subjects
Professional organization

Knowing what constitutes ethical research is
important for all people who conduct research
projects.
All researchers should be familiar with the basic
ethical principles and have up-to-date knowledge
about policies and procedures designed. WHY?..
to ensure the safety of research subjects
and
to prevent sloppy or irresponsible research
Why study research ethics?
public trust and upright
Research is a public trust that must be
ethically conducted, trustworthy, and socially
responsible if the results are to be valuable.
All parts of a research project from the
project design to submission of the results for
peer review have to be upright (respectable)
in order to be considered ethical.
Reasons why to adhere to ethical
norms in research
Norms promote the aims of research, such as
knowledge, truth, and avoidance of error.
For example, prohibitions against fabricating,
falsifying, or misrepresenting research data
promote the truth and avoidance error.
Reasons why to adhere to ethical
norms in research
promote the values that are essential to collaborative
work since research often involves a great deal of
cooperation and coordination among many different
people in different disciplines and institutions
For example, many ethical norms in research, such as
guidelines for authorship, copyright policies, and
confidentiality rules in peer review, are designed to protect
intellectual property interests while encouraging
collaboration.
Most researchers want to receive credit for their
contributions and do not want to have their ideas stolen.

Authorship
Authorship credit should the individuals
contribution to the study.
Author is anyone involved in the research study
with:
Initial research design
Data collection and analysis
Manuscript drafting
Final approval
However, the following do not qualify:
Providing funds or resources
Mentorship

Research Ethics PRINCIPLES
CONSENT
Permission/ approval

HARM
Misbehaviour/safety

DECEPTION
dishonesty
PRIVACY
Secrecy/confidentiality
There are ethical principles that should be taken into
account when performing research.

PRINCIPLE ONE: Minimize the risk of harm

PRINCIPLE TWO: Obtain informed consent

PRINCIPLE THREE: Protect confidentiality or privacy

PRINCIPLE FOUR: Avoid deceptive practices

Principles of Research Ethics
Obtain Informed consent from potential research participants.
means that participants should understand that they are taking part
in research and what the research requires of them.
When in doubt, ask for permission
Consent should always be obtained in writing
Elements:
Capacity
Ability: individual is competent enough to understand, evaluate, and make a
decision of whether to participate or not
Age
Information
Is it complete/comprehensive and fully understood?
Voluntariness
Subjects have the choice to participate or withdraw and are aware of this choice


CONSENT
Informed Consent
TO OBTAIN INFORMED CONSENT YOU NEED TO
PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING TO THE PARTICIPANTS:
Discuss to them the purpose of research
What they will be doing and for how long
Offer to withdraw at any time for any reason
Potential benefits to participants
Harm or risk of discomfort
How privacy will be protected
Instructions on how to get copy of results
The process of obtaining consent
1. Identify participant population
2. Produce information sheet and consent document
3. Obtain permission
4. Present research information to participant and discuss
its contents indicating that withdrawal at any time is
possible
5. Answer participants questions
6. Give a copy of the consent document
7. Allow the participant time to consider
8. Meet participant and discuss documents, to answer any
more questions and assess participants understanding
9. Obtain appropriate signed consent
10. Start research


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I have read the Information Sheet and have had the
details of the study explained to me. My questions
have been answered to my satisfaction, and I may
ask further questions at any time.
I understand I have the right to withdraw from the
study at any time and decline to answer any
particular questions.
I agree to provide information to the researcher(s)
on the understanding that my name will not be used
without my permission.
I agree/do not agree to the interview being recorded
electronically.
I understand that I have the right to ask for the tape
to be turned off at any time during the interview
I agree to participate in this study under the
conditions set out in the information sheet
Signature Name - Date
Minimize the risk of harm.
Any research should not harm participants.
Subjects must be protected from harm, or at the least fully
informed about the potential costs and benefits resulting
from.
Research that is physically or psychologically dangerous is
generally considered unethical

It is not harm that you need to think about since a researcher
does not intentionally go out to cause harm. Rather, it is
the risk of harm that you should try to minimise. HOW?


HARM
A researcher must be responsible holding the
information.
Sensitivity of topic &/or data
Can responses/results affect the subjects life if
known by others
How public/private is the setting?
Public display of the data
Personally identifiable information should be
removed or changed

PRIVACY
Confidentiality and Anonymity
Confidentiality is a basic requirement in all
studies (sagepub.com)
The researcher agrees not to reveal the identity of the
participants to anyone other than the researcher.
A stronger condition if it can be met is that of anonymity.
This means the identity of the participant is not known by anyone including the researcher.
EXAMPLE: Conducting survey to a large group of people
Fill-out the instrument but not include the names on the survey
form.
The researcher will have the data but no names.
Often tied to the informed part of consent
how can participants know (a) that they are taking
part in research and (b) what the research
requires of them if they are being deceived?
Omission: withhold information (the information
was refused to give)
Commission: provide false information
i.e., lying
Establishing false intimacy

DECEPTION
Falsifying, modifying, or omitting data
Reporting errors
Keep data and materials for 5 years
Data and materials available to others
Duplicate publication/presentation
Accuracy of scientific knowledge
Intellectual property rights
Authorship
Order of authorship
Formulating hyphothesis
Creating experimental design
Organizing and conducting stattistical analysis
Interpreting results
Writing a major position of the paper
Reviewers cant steal
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
What is plagiarism?
What are the types?
Intentional stealing
Inadequate citation
Common knowledge v. Opinion
Secondary source
Failure to indicate quotation
Paraphrasing
Take notes and include citations
Dont read and write
Break it down
Falsification
Manipulating research materials, equipment, or
processes, or changing or omitting data or results
such that the researcher is not accurately
represented in the research record.
Publishing or reporting misleading facts
associated with a study, research or
experimentation.
Falsifying data/ evidence
Fabricating data/ evidence
Plagiarism
Effects of falsification
Research participants are greatly dependent
upon the experimentation made by the
researcher to provide direction.
Society depends on a valid research to
determine best plan.
Thus, falsification act can be extremely
dangerous.
What causes?
Pride is the motivator.
Researcher has this pride of they have to be right.
It may be that they believe in the hypothesis and believe
that it should be an accepted theory that they are willing to
risk their career on it.
Money is another motivator.
Funding is normally based on results.
If there is a feeling that funding may be cut if the
results cannot be proven in the favor of the financier
of the project this may promote dishonesty in
reporting.

Mr. A has just discovered an error in a paper that has
been accepted for publication in a journal.
The error does not affect the overall results of his
research, but it is potentially misleading.
The journal has just gone to press, so it is too late to
catch the error before it appears in print. In order to
avoid embarrassment, Mr. A decides to ignore the
error.
Cases involving ethical rules
Q:
What is the unethical action of Mr. A?
A:
Mr. A's error is not misconduct nor it is his
decision to take no action to correct the error.
Most researchers, as well as many different
policies and codes, would say that Mr. A should
tell about the error and consider publishing an
errata. Failing to publish a correction would be
unethical because it would violate norms relating
to honesty and objectivity in research.
You are interested in understanding the organisational
culture of a firm. You feel that observation would be an
appropriate research method in a naturalistic setting.
However, you feel that if employees knew that you
were monitoring them, they may behave in a different
way.
Therefore, you may have received permission to go
undercover or provide an explanation why you are
there, which is not the truth
Cases involving ethical rules
Other activities that does not define as
misconduct but which are still regarded as
unethical
These are
called "other
deviations"
from
acceptable
research
practices.

Unethical actions:
Including a colleague as an author on a paper in return
for a favor even though the colleague did not make a
serious contribution to the paper
Discussing with your colleagues confidential data from a
paper that you are reviewing for a journal
Bypassing the peer review process and announcing your
results through a press conference without giving peers
adequate information to review your work
Conducting a review of the literature that fails to
acknowledge the contributions of other people in the
field or relevant prior work
Rejecting a manuscript for publication without even
reading it
Stealing supplies, books, or data
Most of these would also violate different
professional ethics codes or institutional
policies.
Summary
Researchers must fully understand the policies and theories designed in
research ethics to guarantee upstanding research practices.

Now that you have read these basic principles of research ethics, you may
want to understand how the research strategy you have chosen affects
your approach to research ethics

Researchers must, where feasible, also provide research participants with
an appropriate summary of the research results.
Researchers must take all reasonable steps to ensure that their findings
are accurate and properly reported.
If they become aware of misleading or inaccurate statements about their
work, they must correct the record as soon as possible.





Good practice in Research
Confidentiality of information
Voluntary participation
Reducing risks to participants
Informed consent
Protection of data


What is publication?
It is the dissemination of your findings to the
scientific community
Scientific publications are subject to peer
review
Publication of research findings:
Researchers have a responsibility to their colleagues and the wider
community to disseminate a full account of their research as broadly
as possible.
The account should be complete, and, where applicable, include
negative findings and results contrary to their hypotheses.

References
Dr. M. Macdonald, Ethical Issues in Research
into Applied Linguistics and Language
Education
http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources
/bioethics/whatis/
http://dissertation.laerd.com/principles-of-
research-ethics.php