]research ethics and how to apply them

• Active Reflexivity

  • Researchers play a big role in making sure their research is good quality

  
  

  • They have to follow the right steps, gather data correctly, and check that their findings are reliable

  
  

  • Researchers have their own unique perspective when they do research.

  
  

  • This can be influenced by things like their background and personal views. Understanding this helps to see how it might affect the research.​
• Active Reflevity2


  • Researchers need to be honest about both the good and bad parts of their research.

  
  

  • They should admit if there are any problems with how they did things or if they had any biases that could have messed up the results.​

  
  

  • After finishing a research project, it's important to think about what could have been done better next time. Learning from mistakes helps make future research better.​

  
  

  • Researchers should also talk about any problems they faced during the research and how they dealt with them. This shows they're honest about the difficulties they faced.​
• Voluntary Participation

  • Emphasizes the importance of voluntary participation in research studies.

  
  

  • Informed consent allows participants to leave the study at any time without consequences.

  
  

  • It builds trust between researchers and participants and ensures their decisions are respected.

  
  

  • Saying no to a study doesn't cause problems, easing concerns about participation.
• Voluntary Participation 2

  • Research participation is an ethical rule backed by international laws and scientific principles.

  
  

  • Researchers have a responsibility to protect the well-being and rights of all participants.

  
  

  • Special care is needed for groups like children, older adults, and those with disabilities.

  
  

  • Respecting independence and dignity is crucial for ethical research.
• Informed consent

  Informed consent is a crucial aspect of research, ensuring that participants are fully informed about the study's purpose, potential risks, funding sources, and approval from reputable groups.

  
  

  Researchers typically distribute a written document outlining the study's details, allowing participants to read and ask questions before signing.

  
  

  However, this method may not be suitable for everyone, especially those who struggle with reading or speak English poorly. Researchers may need to provide alternative translations for it
• Informed consent 2


  When children are involved in research, they must also be given permission.

  
  

  Researchers typically ask parents or guardians if their child is okay to participate, and if they understand, researchers may also ask them if they want to join.

  
  

  This ensures that everyone's wishes are respected and that their opinions are valued.
• Anonymity​

  • Anonymity in research involves keeping participants' identities hidden from their data.

  
  

  • Researchers avoid collecting personal details like names, phone numbers, email addresses, and recording personal characteristics.

  
  

  • Face-to-face interviews may reveal information about participants, making complete anonymity challenging.

  
  

  • If participants have the option to delete their data, this information must be kept secret and separate from the study data.
• Anonymity 2


  • Pseudonymization replaces personal details with fake identifiers, making it harder to link data back to specific individuals.

  
  

  • For instance, researchers survey college students using a random three-digit number instead of their real names.

  
  

  • This keeps personal information private while allowing researchers to analyze the data without knowing who's who.
• Confidentiality 


  • Importance of keeping participants' personal information private.

  
  

  • Researchers ensure confidentiality by not sharing details like names or residences.

  
  

  • Protection of personal information is crucial, including locking signed papers and restricting survey access.

  
  

  • In situations involving potential harm, researchers may need to intervene to ensure safety.

  
  

  • Different professions have unique privacy rules, but all agree on ensuring safety while respecting privacy.

  
  

  • Professionals may need to intervene in situations involving children, even if it means breaking rules.
• Prevention of harm​


  • Psychological Harm: Feelings of sadness, anxiety, or shame due to participation in a study. Researchers should predict and reduce these feelings.

  
  

  • Social Harm: Potential social problems due to participation. Researchers should consider these and protect participants from negative consequences.

  
  

  • Physical Harm: Risk of injury or pain during the study. Researchers should ensure safety.

  
  

  • Legal Harm: Private information or activities in studies could lead to legal issues. Researchers should follow privacy and ethics guidelines to avoid these issues.
• Falsification of findings​


  • Research misconduct involves dishonest practices such as making up data, altering data, or presenting false results.

  
  

  • It's not just a mistake, but intentional deception.

  
  

  • It harms the trust of scientists, wastes time and money, and raises ethical concerns.

  
  

  • Misinformation can damage the reputation of scientists and institutions, leading to public doubt.
• Falsification of findings​ 2


  • In 1998, Andrew Wakefield's paper falsely claimed the MMR vaccine could cause autism in children.

  
  

  • The misinformation led to increased concerns about vaccine safety, leading to a resurgence of diseases like measles.

  
  

  • Despite later research proving the study was incorrect, the misinformation persists, causing further doubts and fears about vaccines.
• Understanding Plagiarism in Academic and Research


  • Plagiarism involves using someone else's work as if it's your own, either intentionally or accidentally.

  
  

  • It goes against the rules of honesty and fairness in knowledge sharing, potentially harming the original creators.

  
  

  • Self-plagiarism involves reusing your own work without stating its origin, which can confuse readers and researchers. It can break copyright laws and make scholarly publishing less trustworthy.
• Understanding Plagiarism in Academic and Research 2


  A meta-analysis revealed that self-plagiarism can significantly impact research results.

  
  

  Two studies, published at different times but with similar sample sizes, locations, treatments, and outcomes, had a common author.

  
  

  However, when using both sets of data, the results differed, highlighting the potential for self-plagiarism to undermine the credibility of scientific work and affect the validity of research findings.