Introduction to Research Integrity ME790

(Research Ethics) Dr. Hazem Zibdeh

Anas Al-Shatnawi
142686
Introduction to Research Integrity (Research Ethics)

Outline: 1- Introduction

2- Definitions of ethics in general

3- Definition of Research Ethics

4- Importance of research ethics

5- Historical Events and Development of Research Ethics Guidelines

6- Ethical issues related to the Research

7- Simple summary
Introduction

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 upstanding in order to be considered
ethical. When even one part of a research project is questionable or conducted unethically, the
integrity of the entire project is called into question.

Researchers are professionals, hence It is the duty of the researcher to ensure they are carrying
out their research project in line with established ethical standards. Every step of the research
project, from formulating your research question to publication, needs to be informed by ethics
to ensure the integrity of the project.
Definition of ethics in general

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the conduct of people and
guides the standards of behavior of people and relationships with each
other. It's actually a set of norms for conduct that distinguish between
right and wrong, and acceptable and unacceptable behavior.
Definition of Research Ethics

Research ethics is seen as doing what is both morally and legally right in
research. It also refers to a variety of values and norms that help in
forming and organizing the scientific activity.

Research ethics concerns the responsibility of researchers, to be honest,

and respectful to all individuals who are affected by their research studies
or their reports of the studies' results.
Importance of research ethics
Ethical norms promote the aims of the research, such as knowledge, truth, and avoidance of error. For
example, prohibitions against fabricating, falsifying, or misrepresenting research data promote the truth and
avoid error, Which helps make sure that research is conducted in a way that serves the interests of individuals
and groups.

Ethical norms promote the values that are essential to collaborative work, such as trust, accountability, mutual
respect, It is a reflection of respect for those who ‘take part’ in research and protects their rights.

Ethical norms in research also help to build public support for research. People more likely to fund research
projects if they can trust the quality and integrity of research.

Research ethics provides guidelines that support researchers in conducting research. In addition, research
ethics educates and monitors scientists conducting research to ensure a high ethical standard.
Historical Events and Development of
Research Ethics Guidelines
 The birth of modern research ethics began with a desire to protect human subjects involved in
research projects. The first attempt to craft regulations began during the Doctors Trial of 1946-
1947. 23 German Nazi physicians were accused of conducting abhorrent and torturous
“experiments” with concentration camp inmates in World War II. To prosecute the accused Nazi
doctors for the atrocities they committed, a list of ethical guidelines for the conduct of research –
the Nuremberg Code were developed 1949.

 The Nuremberg Guidelines paved the way for the next major initiative designed to promote
responsible research with human subjects, the Helsinki Declaration 1964.

 Following the Helsinki Declaration, the next set of research ethics guidelines came out in the
Belmont Report of 1979.
Ethical issues related to the Research

1. Plagiarism: Using other people's work (ideas, thoughts, pictures, theories, words, or stories as
your own) without acknowledging their contribution. In addition, plagiarism is both an illegal act
and punishable,(including unintentional plagiarism ) considered to be on the same level as stealing
from the author that which he or she originally created.

Plagiarism takes many forms such as:

• people who intentionally take a passage word-for-word, put it in their own work, and do not
properly credit the original author.
• Unintentional paraphrased and fragmented texts the author has pieced together from several
works without properly citing the original sources.

** To avoid unintentionally plagiarizing of another person’s work: Cite all ideas and information
that isn't your own, always use quotation marks if you are using someone else’s words and at the
beginning of a paraphrased section, show that what comes next is someone else’s original idea.
Ethical issues related to the Research

2. Fabrication and falsification: Fabrication is making up results and recording them, Falsification is
manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes or changing or omitting data or results such
that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.

300If machines aren't calibrated correctly if subjects don't follow procedures correctly if untrained
research assistants are used (may give different instructions) if testing occurs at different times of the day.

4. Poor data storage and retention: Should be available for verification of others.

5. Nonpublication of data: Data was suppressed (Sometimes called ‘cooking data’), Data not included in
results because they don’t support the desired outcome.
Ethical issues related to the Research

6. Misleading authorship: Authorship is the process of deciding whose names belong on a research paper.
It should involve only those who contribute directly. (Misleading authorship: People take credit who
really make very little contribution to the study.) Each person listed as an author on an article should
have significantly contributed to both the research and writing. In addition, all listed authors must be
prepared to accept full responsibility for the content of the research article.
All the contributing co-authors of an article must jointly decide the order of the listing of names. The
first person listed should be the person most closely involved with the research. The authors should then
decide the order of the remaining authors in accordance with the criteria of the publishing journal, and
be prepared to answer questions about why the order is as it appears.
Simple summary

 Quotes are okay if properly referenced.

You need permission to use any figures and tables from other published sources.
Usually, it is no problem getting permission for educational purposes.

Avoid carelessness and negligence.

Avoid harm to participants or to the subject (and producing benefits).Any risks must be clearly
communicated to subjects involved.

Bottom line is that Learning about research ethics can’t motivate you to want to do the right thing,
but it will give you more tools with which to think about difficult situations in the future.
References

[1] Research_Ethics(Center for bioethics, University of Minnesota. (2003). A guide to research ethics. Available at:
http://www.ahc.umn.edu/img/assets/26104/Research_Ethics.pdf
[2] Research Ethics in Social Research Dr Claire Hickey Senior Project Specialist Centre for Effective Services, available at:
https://www.teachingcouncil.ie/en/_fileupload/Research/Ethics-Webinar-Slides.pdf
[3] Blumberg, B, Cooper D.R, & Schindler P.S. (2005). Business Research Methods, Mc Graw Hill: Berkshire.
[4] Kovacs, A. (1985).The Research process: Essentials of skill development. F.A Davis Company: Philadelphia, USA.
[5] Stephen Ifedha Akaranga and Bretta Kavutha Makau (2016) 'Ethical Considerations and their Applications to
Research: a Case of the University of Nairobi', Journal of Educational Policy and Entrepreneurial Research, 3(12), pp. 1-9.
[6] Ethics in research Harish Kumar .R Reg.no:11msb0050 available at
https://www.scribd.com/document/470355334/ethicalissuesinresearch-130619062038-phpapp01
[7] R S Bhopal, J M Rankin, E McColl, et (1997) 'Authorship. Team approach to assigning authorship order is
recommended' BMJ. 314(7086):1046-7.