Divine Word College of Legazpi

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTANCY

Legazpi City

Lesson 3 – Ethics and Research

Learning Objectives: At the end of the lesson, the student is expected to:

1. Understand the different ethical values in research writing.

2. Considered these research ethics in writing their research paper.
3. Identify ethical standards in the collection, interpretation and analysis of the data

https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/whatis/index.cfm
Research Ethics
Research ethics govern the standards of conduct for scientific researchers. It is
important to adhere to ethical principles in order to protect the dignity, rights and welfare
of research participants. As such, all research involving human beings should be
reviewed by an ethics committee to ensure that the appropriate ethical standards are
being upheld. Discussion of the ethical principles of beneficence, justice and autonomy
are central to ethical review. All professions are guided by a code of ethics that has
evolved over years to accommodate the changing values, needs and expectations of
the authorized bodies.

Being ethical means adhering to these codes of conduct. Some professions have
very strict guidelines, monitor conduct effectively and take appropriate steps against
those who do not abide by the guidelines. Ethical issues in research can be looked at as
they relate to participants, researchers and sponsoring organization. Ethical issues
concerning , research participants include: Collecting information, seeking consent,
providing incentives, seeking sensitive information. The possibility of causing harm to
participants. maintaining confidentiality. Ethical issues relating to the researcher include:
Avoiding bias, provision or deprivation of a treatment. using appropriate research
methodology.

The following are the research ethics that a researcher must consider while writing a
research paper:

1. Respect for Persons

Respect for persons is one of the fundamental principles in research: It is the
recognition of a person as a autonomous, unique, and free individual. It also means that
we recognize that each person has the right and capacity to make her or his own
decisions. Respecting a person ensures that dignity is valued. All participants in
research must take part voluntarily, free from any coercion or undue influence, and their
rights, dignity and autonomy should be respected and appropriately protected.

An autonomous person is capable of deliberation about personal goals and of

acting under the direction of such deliberation. To respect autonomy is to give weight to
autonomous persons' considered opinions and choices while refraining from obstructing
their actions unless they are clearly detrimental to others.

By contrast, when a potential research participant may lack capacity to make

autonomous decisions, respect for persons requires that they be protected against
harm. The capacity for self-determination matures during an individual's life, and some
individuals lose this capacity wholly or in part because of illness, mental disability, or
circumstances that severely restrict liberty. Respect for the immature and the
incapacitated may require protecting them as they mature or while they are
incapacitated. Some persons are in need of extensive protection, even to the point of
excluding them from research that has a risk of harm.

2. Protecting Participants from Harm

It is a fundamental responsibility of every researcher to do all in his/her power to
ensure that participants in a research study are protected from physical or psychological
harm, discomfort, or danger that may arise due to research procedure. If there is any
likelihood of risk involved, provide full information followed by formal consent by
participants (or their guardian)

Example. An experimental study which is intended for the use of the general
population, the researcher must include both men and women to ensure that the results
of the research is safe and effective for both men and women.

When conducting research on human subjects, minimize harms and risks and
maximize benefits; respect human dignity, privacy, and autonomy; take special
precautions with vulnerable populations; and strive to distribute the benefits and
burdens of research fairly.

Avoid discrimination against colleagues or students on the basis of sex, race,

ethnicity, or other factors not related to scientific competence and integrity.

3. Benefits in Research
The researchers must see to it that the research they are doing will benefit
others. This principle states that research should do no harm. Meaning that the
purpose of the research should never hurt anyone or find out information at the expense
of other people. The researchers must be responsible enough to do their best to
minimize those possible risks and to maximize benefits for the participants. Benefits to
the researcher himself/herself, community, to the organization it represents, and many
others.

4. Honesty
Research integrity may be defined as active adherence to the ethical principles
and professional standards essential for the responsible practice of research. By ethical
principles we mean honesty, the golden rule, trustworthiness, and high regard for the
scientific record. The researchers must report the data, results, methods and
procedures, and publication status, honestly. They should not fabricate, falsify, or
misrepresent data.  Data invention (fabrication) and manipulation of data (falsification)
constitute serious scientific misconduct. Honesty plays a key role in the search for
knowledge and in promoting cooperation and trust among researchers.

5. Objectivity
Objectivity in social research is the principle drawn from positivism that, as far as
as possible, researchers should remain distanced from what they study so findings
depend on the nature of what was studied rather than on the personality, beliefs and
values of the researcher (an approach not accepted by researchers. Avoid bias in
experimental design, data analysis, data interpretation, peer review, personnel
decisions, expert testimony, and other aspects of research where objectivity is expected
or required. Minimized bias or self-deception.

Strive to avoid bias in experimental design, data analysis, data interpretation,

peer review, personnel decisions, grant writing, expert testimony, and other aspects of
research where objectivity is expected or required. Avoid or minimize bias or
self-deception. Disclose personal or financial interests that may affect research.

6. Intellectual Property
Intellectual property (IP) is the knowledge and output that results from intellectual
activity. In terms of research, IP can be input, such as ideas, findings, or teaching
materials, or output, such as authorship, inventions, and patents. Research findings
can be circulated by publication in peer-reviewed journals. Honor patents, copyrights,
and other forms of intellectual property. Do not use unpublished data, methods, or
results without permission. Give proper acknowledgement or credit for all contributions
to research. Data are considered "facts". They are not copyrightable because they are
discovered, not created as original works. However, other intellectual property
protections may be utilized to protect your work and ensure proper attribution. Never
plagiarize.

9. Confidentiality
Protect confidential communications, such as papers or grants submitted for
publication, personnel records, trade or military secrets, and patient records. Whenever
possible, the names of the subjects/should be removed from all data collection forms.
This can be done by assigning a number or letter, to each form, or if possible,
respondents can be asked to furnish information anonymously. The names of individual
respondent should not be used in any publications that describe the research.
Participants in a study should always have the right to withdraw from the study or to
request that data collected about them not be used.

10. Social Responsibility

The social responsibility of researchers require that they also attend to the
foreseeable societal impacts of their work, particularly as these impacts affect the
safety, health or welfare of the society. Researchers have a responsibility to oppose the
misuse of their work. Strive to promote social good and prevent or mitigate social harms
through research, public education, and advocacy. Know and obey relevant laws and
institutional and governmental policies.

.11. Informed Consent

 Informed consent requires that research staff and participants should be given
appropriate information about the research in a comprehensible manner without duress
or inappropriate inducement.

The information should include: the research procedure, the purposes, risks and
anticipated benefits, alternative procedures (where therapy is involved), and a
statement offering the participant the opportunity to ask questions and to withdraw at
any time from the research. Where a person is not receiving treatment but is a pure
volunteer, the standard of disclosure may be expected to be higher. The extent and
nature of information should be such that persons, knowing that the procedure is neither
necessary for their care nor perhaps fully understood, can decide whether they wish to
participate in the furthering of knowledge. Even when some direct benefit to them is
anticipated, the participants should understand clearly the range of risk and the
voluntary nature of participation.

Comprehension entails that the manner and context in which information is

conveyed is as important as the information itself. For example, presenting information
too quickly or in a format that is confusing may adversely affect a participant's ability to
make an informed choice. Because a participant's ability to understand is a function of
intelligence, rationality, maturity and language, it is necessary to adapt the presentation
of the information to the participant’s capacities. Investigators are responsible for
ascertaining that the participant has comprehended the information.

12. Conflict of Interest

The independence of research should be clear, and any conflicts of interest or
partiality should be explicit. A conflict of interest arises where a researcher’s obligation
to the institution or a funder to conduct research independently is likely to be
compromised, or may appear to be compromised. This can be because they may:
obtain a personal gain, or a gain to a member of their family or another person to whom
they have a close personal relationship arising from the research. This gain may be
financial or otherwise and/or, have commitments and obligations to another person or
body that may appear to act as a potential influence over their independent conduct of
the research.
There may be an appearance of conflict of interest even when no conflict actually exists.
Researchers must disclose anything that may be perceived by others as a potential
conflict of interest.

Research Misconducts

(a) Fabrication - making up data or results and recording or reporting them.

(b) Falsification - manipulating research materials, or changing or omitting data or
results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.
(c) Plagiarism - the appropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results, or words
without giving appropriate credit.
(d) Research misconduct does not include honest error or differences of opinion.

Miriam K. Manalo, Ed.D.

Faculty