Ethical Issues in Research and Scholarship

Ethical Issuesin Researchand Scholarship

CHAPTER CHAPTER 4

Seven Areas of Scientific Dishonesty

1. Plagiarism—using the ideas, writings, and drawings of others as your own

2. Fabrication and falsification—making up or altering data

3. Nonpublication of data , also called “cooking data”

4. Faulty data-gathering procedures

5. Poor data storage and retention

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Seven Areas of Scientific Dishonesty

6. Misleading authorship—who should be an author?

- Technicians do not necessarily become joint authors.

- Authorship should involve only those who contribute directly.

- Discuss authorship before the project!

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Seven Areas of Scientific Dishonesty

7. Sneaky publication practices

- Joint publication

• What is “fair use” of materials?

Ethical IssuesRegarding Copyright

- Purpose: Commercial or educational?- Nature: Is copying expected?- Amount: How much is copied?- Effect: What is the influence on the market?

• For teaching: Articles, chapters, overheads, slides, PowerPoint presentations

• For research: Figures and tables, standardized tests, questionnaires, previously published scholarly work

• If you are unsure, ask permission!

Model for Considering ScientificMisconduct

• Scientific misconduct Sanctions

• Scientific mistakes Remedial activities

• Causes of scientific misconduct

- Pressure to publish- Need to complete graduate work- Desire to continue funding- Desire for academic rewards

History of Ethical Treatment of Subjects

• Nazi war experiments

• Tuskegee syphilis study

• Institutional review boards

Ethical Issues in Human and Animal Research

• Humans

- Informed consent- Human participants committee

• Animals

- Justification- Value of animal models

• Conflicts of interest

- Funded research projects- Using students (classes) and volunteers

Protecting Human Participants

• What should human research participants expect?

- Right to privacy or nonparticipation- Right to remain anonymous- Right to confidentiality

Uvic Ethics

• Minimal Risk (2 reviewers)• The research can be regarded as within the range of minimal risk if

potential participants can reasonably be expected to regard the probability and magnitude of possible harms implied by participation in the research to be no greater than those encountered by the participant in those aspects of his or her everyday life that relate to the research.

• Above that threshold = full ethics committee approval

Age to give informed consent• For minimal risk studies:

– competent children under age 13 years give own consent and parents/guardians give consent;

– competent youth ages 13-16 years give own consent and parents/guardians are informed of the study;

– competent youth ages 17-19 give consent and parent/guardians may be informed of the study.

• For above minimal risk studies:– Normally, both parental/guardian and youth consent are required up

to age 19.

Need to fully disclose the Risk

• Physical: Pain, scarring, infection, side effects etc.

• Social: Loss of status r respect, alienation, change in relationships etc.

• Psychological/emotional:Fear, anxiety, sadness, depression

• Economic: Loss of salary, loss of job

• A fair explanation of the procedures to be followed,including identification of those that are experimental

Elements of Informed Consent

• A description of the attendant discomforts and risks

• A description of the benefits to be expected

• A disclosure of appropriate alternative procedures that would be advantageous for the participant

• An offer to answer any inquiries concerning the procedures

• An instruction that the participant is free to withdraw at any time