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5800 Et 17 Et PDF
5800 Et 17 Et PDF
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH ETHICS
Role Name Affiliation
Principal Investigator Prof. (Dr.) Ranbir Singh Vice Chancellor, National
Law University, Delhi
Co-Principal Investigator Prof. (Dr.) G.S. Bajpai Registrar, National Law
University Delhi
Paper Coordinator Prof. (Dr.) G.S. Bajpai Registrar, National Law
University Delhi
Content Writer/Author Prof. (Dr.) G.S. Bajpai Registrar, National Law
University Delhi
Ms Maanvi Tiku National Law University
Delhi
Content Reviewer Prof. V.K.Srivastva Department of Anthropology
, University of Delhi
DESCRIPTION OF MODULE
Research Ethics
Objective: After reading this module, the learners will have a clear picture of
(i) Importance of ethics in research;
(ii) Code of Ethics;
(iii) Violation of research ethics;
(iv) Plagiarism;
(v) Steps to maintain research ethics;
Learning Outcomes:
After completion of this module, it is expected that the learners will be able to:
(i) Conduct research in an ethical manner;
(ii) Introduce safeguards for research ethics in their research design.
Structure:
1. Concept of Research Ethics
This topic will cover the following points:
i. What is ethics in research
ii. Need of research ethics
iii. Importance of defining and laying out research ethics
2. Ethical Research
This topic will discuss the various expected forms of actions that are part of code of
ethics in research. The topic will further point out and explain the various checkpoints
in a research for being careful against violation of research ethics. This topic is
divided into the following sub-topics.
1. Code of Ethics
a. Professional competence
b. Integrity
c. Professional and scientific responsibility
d. Respect for peoples’ rights, dignity and diversity
e. Social responsibility
2. Checkpoints in research
a. Authorisation to research
b. Appropriate techniques and processes
c. Respect for confidentiality
d. Research responsibility
Sincerity in work
Strictly avoid plagiarism
3. Plagiarism
This topic will cover the most important issue of unethical research— plagiarism. It
explains plagiarism, the reasons for its growth and then proceeds to discuss the types
and the contributors to plagiarism. The topic proceeds this way:
i. Types of plagiarism
i. Direct plagiarism
ii. Indirect plagiarism
iii. Patch writing
iv. Unintended plagiarism
v. Self plagiarism
ii. Plagiarism and Technological Advancement
i. Plagiarism-friendly technology
ii. Open access content
iii. Easy web sharing
iii. Copyright protection
The arena of research is huge and many enthusiasts enter this field.
However there may be cases where unethical means are employed to produce
a report, for dodging sincere efforts and gaining quick results. For example
copying someone’s idea and claiming it as your own, is like photocopying a
painting and selling it as your own creation. It is easy and it is wrong. It is
obviously easy because one profits out of no work at all. It is wrong because
of violation of ‘ethics’. Ethics give the entire fraternity of researchers a source
of discipline. Ethics lay down the ground rules for a legitimate, moral and fair
research. In fact every walk of life is governed by, even if not entirely
dependent on ethics. Even the Fundamental Rights guaranteed to every citizen
by the Constitution of India come with certain restrictions. Just like
restrictions on Fundamental Rights balances the rights of individual with those
of the society, research ethics lays down the disciple of conducting fair
research. It is not a burden on research, but is a guiding light to do it properly.
The role and importance of research ethics in research does not end with
producing research report. Every research is like a lighthouse for future
research in that field. It is moral as well as professional obligation of the
researcher to conduct research according to accepted norms of ethical
research. The various checkpoints during a research that must be taken care of
by the researcher are discussed ahead in the Module.
One might argue that laying down standard code of ethics and teaching
them is not going to change the manner of carrying out research. In other
words, just the way laying down rules of law cannot guarantee abolition of
crime, laying down norms of research ethics cannot streamline every research.
However rules do set out a model of civilized living, wherein rights of
individuals do not override welfare and justice in the society. Laying down
research ethics plays a similar role in research. It sets some criteria to be
followed in research. Research ethics is not a law laid down by legislators. It
is a symbolic policy to be followed while doing research. Ethics and morality
is a relative term, and it changes from person to person. But changing ethics as
per individual research could lead to confusing precedence. Therefore, various
scholars have formed a common accepted set of research ethics. Laying down
ethics in clear terms provides guidelines to be followed, so that research by
varied people conforms to a common standard of ethics.
The need for having standard research ethics can be summarized in the
following points:
1. It offers a common set of standards for the knowledge and benefit of
everyone. It rules out uncertainty.
2. It prevails over and supersedes everybody alike, so ethics become
universal to one and all. So no one can claim that ethics and morality
changes from person to person.
3. The researcher has prior knowledge of the path s/he must maintain, to
conform to standards of ethical research.
4. Any research, especially social research cannot be carried out in isolation
with influencing or being influenced by the society. Accepted norms of
research ethics gives a sense of security to the subjects of research to
participate in the research freely.
5. Researches that require approval of authorities for sponsorship are
assured of the standards that will be followed in their sanctioned
research.
1. Code of Ethics
The principles of research ethics are not listed out in a concise manner.
There are no strict rules that are to be observed in research. However, just like
the processes and techniques of research that have developed over time, there
are a few accepted rules of conduct that are considered as the basic principles
of ethical research. One such set of code of ethics has been given by the
American Sociological Association1. These are discussed as follows:
i. Professional competence. Competence to research is not only in terms
of qualification but also intellectual capability. Often the acquiring of a
Master’s degree alone is not sufficient to certify that a person is fit and
qualified to research. Before beginning a research the supervisor or
sanctioning institution must ascertain that the researcher is competent to
conduct research in the field chosen. But most importantly the researcher
himself must be confident about his competence.
Technical soundness of a research is the principal quality that
is expected in a research. Teaching of research techniques and
methodology is given special focus in all institutes conducting research
as part of curriculum. It is expected that research methodology and
techniques of research stay on with the researcher even after the
completion of a research project. All future researches conducted by the
researcher must demonstrate technical soundness.
ii. Integrity. Honesty, genuineness and fairness in research are expected
from a researcher. Misrepresentation and deceit may help the research
one time. But the blot of being an unethical research work never leaves
the final product of the research.
iii. Professional and scientific responsibility. Research work is not carried
out in isolation of the society. Societal dynamics steer the research and
also are affected by it. Research emerges from the problems that exist in
society. Research deeply affects the solutions that are formed to eliminate
these problems. It is a moral and professional responsibility of the
researcher to be aware of effects of his research. It must always be borne
in mind by the researcher that carelessness in the research may have long
lasting effects on the future research in that field, and further on the
society. Thus professional standards must never be compromised with.
iv. Respect for peoples’ rights, dignity and diversity. Research must be
free from bias and so must the researcher. The society is composed of
diverse people often having conflicting rights. It is the responsibility of
the researcher to incorporate the spirit of respect for all in the research
and promote equality of rights in diversity of interests.
v. Social responsibility. It is moral and professional obligation of
researcher to conduct themselves and their research in such a way that is
not disorderly to the society. As we have seen that research emerges from
the society. It is expected that a researcher must give back to the society
the knowledge that it has been able to bank through observation of the
society itself. This knowledge is a potential for development and
revamping of the society.
2. Checkpoints in Research
1
American Sociological Association, ‘Code of Ethics’ <http://www.asanet.org/about/ethics.cfm>
accessed 23 June 2014
There are various checkpoints in a research at which the researcher
must be careful about following ethics. Although it is expected that the
researcher is always careful about being ethical; there are some key aspects
that characterize ethics in research. Above we have discussed the code of
ethics. The code of ethics gives the basic norms of ethics. While keeping these
in mind, the following things must be ensured.
i. Authorization to Research. It is the foremost duty of every researcher
to attain required sanctions to carry out the research. The sanctions and
permissions are required from mainly two actors involved in the research
process:
Research institutes; and
Participants in research.
Research may be carried out as fulfilment of course
requirements in an educational institution. Research may also be
done by researchers employed by research institutes. In both the
scenarios, while presenting the research proposal, the required
permission and sanction from the institute must be duly attained.
Sanction is also required to be attained from any sponsoring
institute.
As research is carried out in tandem with the society, due
permission from the society is also required. The participants in a
research may be a group of families or individual members, or
even an organisation. Due permission from the heads of
households, or heads of institutions or the heads of the
organisations from where the data is proposed to be collected must
be acquired, before beginning the research. Often organisations
have their own policies with respect to research, especially where
the organisation is frequently approached for purposes of research
activities.
It is the duty of the researcher to duly convey to the
participants the objectives of the research as well as requirements
from the participants. They must be informed about the extent of
disruption in their lives (for example in participatory research). The
participants must be made aware of the legitimacy of the research
and the researcher(s). Most importantly, the participants would not
agree to be a part of the research unless they are explained the
utility of the research to them. It is a moral and professional duty of
the researcher to make the participants fully aware regarding the
research so that they may give an informed consent.
ii. Appropriate Techniques and Processes. The researcher must at all time
conform to the laid down tools and techniques of research. There are
various steps of research at which the researcher must be careful of
following appropriate techniques. Choosing the correct and most
appropriate methodology for the research is the primary requirement of
being technically sound. Employing suitable tools and techniques of
sampling, data collection and data analysis is as important as using them
efficiently. Data interpretation and pouring out the results of research in
to the research report in a well-organized and proficient manner is also
very important. In short, the researcher must make sure that he has
chosen the appropriate tools, techniques and methodology for his
research. For that the researcher must be willing to o back to books again
and again. It is not a shame to learn again and again; but to carry out
work with limited knowledge is shameful indeed.
III. Plagiarism
3. Copyright Protection
Plagiarism is not only an unethical and grossly unprofessional form of
misconduct; it also amounts to a legal wrong as it is violation of an ‘intellectual
property right’. Intellectual property is the property owned by a person by virtue of
being the creation and production of his own intellect. Just like property of other
natures, there are certain rights that are associated with intellectual property. All the
steps involved in carrying out research work, beginning from an idea and going up to
the research report, are all forms of ‘intellectual property’, as all of them emerge from
the intellect of a person. Although it is difficult to protect an idea from being copied,
as it is an intangible result of thinking; yet the final product of research can be given
legal security from plagiarism. ‘Research report’ is a literary work. All kinds of
literary content are protected under Indian Copyright Act. The Copyright Act gives
an exclusive right to the holder of Copyright to draw monetary benefit by using the
content; nobody else holds this right. The Copyright Act lays down various penalties
for violation or ‘infringement’ of copyright. These penalties include monetary
compensation, imprisonment and decree of injunction from court. The Act allows the
copyright holder to permit any person to use such content or assign license to any
person to draw monetary benefit out of it. Such act done with due permission from
the author will not amount to infringement of copyright. Similarly correct mention of
the source of a particular content in the prescribed form of citation or reference is a
way to prevent being a ‘plagiariser’. However a catch in the Act is that where a
person has not so registered and his content is copied, he shall have to prove in the
court of law that it was written by him first.