Introduction
Research is the foundation of scientific advancement. It contributes in many aspects. For example; research helps understand the world, drives innovation across different fields, etc. Something very crucial regarding research is its ethical dimension.
Ethical issues in research play a crucial role in research. Research Ethics ensures that the research is conducted with integrity, adheres to moral principles, and is for the well-being of participants. For a long time, ethical issues have guided scientists and researchers in their pursuit of knowledge.
Researchers must look up to several ethical issues to conduct studies responsibly. In this ethical issues in research ppt, we shall discuss 6 main ethical issues. Here, you will also come across the process of writing ethical issues in research. This ppt also highlights examples of ethical issues in research.
Define Ethical Issues in Research
Ethical issues in research are principles that help you design your research. It can also be defined as challenges researchers encounter while planning, conducting, and reporting their studies. Scientists, who play the role of researchers, must stick to a code of conduct when conducting research projects.
The need to balance two aspects; i.e.,
- pursuit of knowledge (and)
- protection of human subjects
Becomes the very essence of research ethics.
We shall discuss what are the six ethical issues in research in the next section. Before that, let’s learn more about Ethical Considerations in Research.
Why is it Necessary to Address Ethical Considerations?
While writing a research paper, it’s important to address ethical concerns. It ensures that public trust in the scientific community is maintained. This further ensures that the research contributes positively to society – as a whole.
Ethical issues in research PPT are to be considered before writing a paper. Why? For any paper writing, ethical consideration acts as the foundation. It is the basic building block that shapes the study plan. It also serves as the framework that preserves research participants’ rights, viability, and scientific completeness.
Some of the goals that are met in considering research ethics include the following:
- grasping real-life phenomena
- examining effective treatments
- analyzing behaviors
- improving lives
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What are the Six Ethical Issues in Research PDF?
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Study design and ethics approval
Research can be called good research only when it’s planned, adjusted, and designed with careful consideration of ethical principles. Scientists must develop a research protocol. Not just creating, but also adhering to this protocol is necessary.
Study design and ethics approval is one of the ethical issues in research. Researchers who conduct research to a lower standard are termed ‘misconduct.’ Study design means deciding what method/strategy to follow for data collection and analysis. Collaborators and contributors must agree upon a study proposed and researched by the researcher.
Research should collect data and also answer specific questions. It’s a researcher’s responsibility that their study design passes the ethical standards. These will ensure that the research written is reliable and has valid results.
With this, we come to ethics approval. Researchers conducting research involving human subjects or animals need to seek approval from an Institutional Review Board, or Ethics Committee. Ethics approval ensures that the proposed research is not a vulnerable subject. It also helps a particular research meet ethical standards and protects the well-being of participants.
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Data Handling/Management
When we question, ‘What are the six ethical issues in research?’, including this point is a must. Researchers should stick to two principles – honesty and transparency. They will help collect data accurately and record and report findings appropriately. Inappropriate analysis of data or falsifying data undermines the scientific process. This becomes the reason for violating ethical standards.
Let’s understand data handling/management with the help of examples of ethical issues in research. Suppose researchers are conducting a clinical trial. During this research, if a drug is found to be ineffective, the honest and transparent approach would be to report these results accurately. But, if this is not followed, it leads to ethical issues. Researchers, at times, try to manipulate or hide the data to make the drug appear effective, while in reality, it’s not so effective.
So, how to ensure that data analysis is appropriate? It’s effortless – researchers should maintain transparency regarding sources and methods to obtain and analyze data. Failure to do so may lead to serious ethical concerns. In the example of a clinical trial, manipulating or hiding data becomes a reason that might make the research’s integrity questionable. Not just this, it’ll also lead to potential consequences for public health.
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Informed Consent
Whenever research deals with human subjects, informed consent becomes very important. Potential participants should decide whether they wish to participate or continue participating in particular research. Moreover, every single participant should be fully informed about the nature of the study, potential risks, and benefits.
The right to withdraw from the research at any time is also included in informed consent. By this, we mean that the individuals have the right to step off the research without facing adverse consequences. Researchers need to check and guarantee that participants provide informed and voluntary consent.
Informed consent is one of the crucial ethical issues in research. The process involves 3 basics. They are:
- Study participants should be informed about the research purpose, procedures, potential risks, benefits, and alternatives.
- Study participants should understand the provided information. They must decode the relationship between research and individual clinical situations or interests.
- Study participants should have the right to make voluntary decisions about whether to participate or not.
Remember, failure to obtain informed consent becomes the reason for defying the rights of participants. And if this ethical issue isn’t met, ethical violations might occur.
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Authorship
Here’s one of the other critical ethical issues in research, i.e., Authorship. There is no proper definition of authorship. Why? Because defining authorship is tricky. However, in a research paper, it’s expected that the author plays a significant role. An author should be involved in every single step of research. These steps include the following:
- Planning the study
- Designing the study
- Analyzing data
- Data Interpretation
Apart from these 4 responsibilities, an author is also responsible for proving the validity of the work. Adding more to it, the author should publicly stand by the research. They should play the leading role in drafting and revising the manuscript.
Conversely, data collection or language editing doesn’t mean that the participant involved in the research is an author.
But how do we decide who gets the credit for an author in research? Well, this needs to be decided early in the research planning. One can refer to the “Advice to Authors” as a journal to decide on authorship.
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Conflicting Interests
To answer the question, what are the six ethical issues in research pdf? You should understand ‘Conflicts of Interests.’ Conflicting interests is an ethical issue in research. When a researcher’s interest isn’t apparent/clear, the team may face conflicts of interest. The conflicts include personal, political, commercial, professional, or financial interests. If conflicting interests occur, the entire objectivity or integrity of research is compromised.
Conflicts of interest, one of the ethical issues in research, come from different sources. For example;
- Financial relationships with sponsors
- Professional aspirations
- Personal beliefs
Let’s understand conflicts of interest with the help of examples of ethical issues in research. Suppose there is a researcher who receives funds from a pharmaceutical company. The funding will be utilized for a new clinical trial on a new drug. But, here, a conflict of interest can occur. How? If the outcome of the study impacts the financial interests of the sponsor.
Take note that when such conflicting interests occur, it’ll lead to unfair research practices. The researchers might tend to manipulate the study design, data analysis, or interpretation. All of these will be done to favor the sponsor’s interests.
How do you deal with conflict of interest? The answer is quite simple. Researchers should discuss any conflicts in the early stage of research. Researchers should also try hard to ensure that their conflicts of interest don’t have any adverse effect on the research methods or the result of the research.
Disclosing any conflicts of interest at the beginning of a research work lets the research community, the public involved, and peer reviewers assess the potential impact of these conflicts on the research later on.
Another potential solution for this issue is to talk to/take advice from an independent researcher/ Ethics Committee.
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Reusing and Recopying
So, we have come to the last point of 6 main ethical issues in research. It’s Redundant publication and Plagiarism. Redundant publication means ‘reusing’ the same research in multiple places. Plagiarism means ‘copying’ someone else’s work without crediting the person’s research. If two research papers share the same data, discussion, and findings, it can be considered a redundant publication. This is an ethical issue because it misrepresents the research contributions. But here’s something more to add to this. If researchers submit an abstract during meeting proceedings, it’s said to prevent subsequent publication. However, it’s essential to disclose this information fully during submission.
Plagiarism is something severe. It’s a serious ethical violation. A simple definition of Plagiarism is when someone publishes another’s works or presents others’ ideas as their own without proper acknowledgment. Plagiarism acts as a threat to the trust of the research community. Hence, it becomes essential to have a transparent declaration of all sources of information in the research paper.
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How to Write Ethical Issues in Research?
The process of writing ethical issues in research involves some steps. For your convenience, we have jotted down those steps. They are as follows –
Step 1: Maintain data honesty by dropping out on any data fabrication.
Step 2: Practise and follow an unbiased data analysis/review approach.
Step 3: Ensure your thoughts are consistent/stable.
Step 4: Maintain immense or required clarity of your thoughts.
Step 5: Adopt a straightforward mindset for adopting new ideas.
Step 6: Learn to accept criticism from peers.
Step 7: Look over related papers with a critical approach.
Step 8: Don’t ignore copyrights and intellectual matters.
So, this was how to write ethical issues in research. You can now quickly write an ethics case study to research any topic.
Further, elaborating let’s have a quick look at how to write a research paper. Before writing an ethical research paper, researchers should plan out a structure. The planning should be done carefully. The paper needs to be divided into several paragraphs. Individuals involved in the research must write a clear plan and coherent study without touching up on ethical issues in research.
What are the Codes of Ethics required during Conducting Research?
For any research to be published, researchers require funds. It’s the Government agencies who fund or commission research. These agencies often publish codes of conduct for researchers. After learning about what are the six ethical issues in research, you should have a brief knowledge of codes of ethics.
Ethical codes in the field of research involve the following –
- Honesty and Integrity
- Carefulness
- Objectivity
- Respecting Intellectual Property
- Openness
- Legality
- Confidentiality
- Human Subject Protection
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Conclusion
So, that’s all about ethical issues in research. To conclude, it is the responsibility of researchers to uphold ethical standards. The ethical standards are essential at the beginning and throughout the research process. The 6 ethical issues in research PPT highlighted in this guide will be helpful for researchers. They ensure the credibility and validity of research outcomes. Hence, what’s the result – it’s the advancement of knowledge built on ethical practices.
FAQs
What is the essence of research ethics?
Research ethics should be conducted with integrity. It must also meet the moral principles. Apart from these, the essence of research ethics lies in research that prioritizes the well-being of participants.
Should research ethics be defended?
Defying research ethics is not advisable. Instead, research ethics should be upheld and defended. This ensures the integrity and credibility of scientific research.
Do authors/researchers have any ethical obligations?
Yes, both researchers and authors have ethical obligations in research. They are expected to be essential in the research process, accuracy, and publication.
If I am part of daily clinical practice, do I need to obtain ethics approval?
You should obtain ethics approval for research conducted in daily clinical practice. Make sure you have the approval if your research involves human subjects.
Is copying sentences from a paper for new research “ethical”?
No, researchers who copy sentences from a paper without proper acknowledgment are considered plagiarism. This is also an unethical approach to research.
