ETHICAL RESEARCHER BEHAVIOR: 15 SIGNS - SCIENCE - 2024

The ethical behavior of the researcher refers to the actions and ethical and moral attitudes carried out by a scientist or person who investigates some object of study. Some signs of ethical behavior are honesty, compliance with the law, non-discrimination, social responsibility, proper guidance, or caring for animals.

In addition, it consists of the practice of conducting scientific research with integrity, adhering to the principles and practices of valid experimentation (scientific method, accurate sampling, accurate data recording, etc.), impartial review and communication of results. to the scientific community.

Since research often involves great cooperation and coordination between many different people in various disciplines and institutions, ethical standards promote the values ​​that are essential to collaborative work, such as trust, responsibility, mutual respect, and fairness.

For example, many ethical standards in research, such as guidelines for authorship, copyright and patent policies, data sharing policies, and confidentiality standards in peer review, are designed to protect interests. of intellectual property while encouraging collaboration.

Researcher codes of ethics

Given the importance of ethics to the conduct of research, it should come as no surprise that many different professional associations, government agencies, and universities have adopted specific codes, rules, and policies related to research ethics.

Many government agencies, such as national institutes of health, food and drug administrations, environmental protection agencies, and departments of agriculture have developed ethical rules that funded researchers must adhere to.

Influential research ethics policies include:

• The Singapore Declaration on the integrity of investigations
• The American Chemical Society
• The Code of Conduct for the Professional Chemist
• The Code of Ethics (American Society for Clinical Laboratory Sciences)
• The American Psychological Association
• The Ethical Principles of Psychologists and the Code of Conduct, Ethics and Professional Responsibility (American Anthropological Association)
• Statement on Professional Ethics (American Association of University Professors)
• The Nuremberg Code
• The Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association.

Signs of the researcher's ethical behavior

What follows is a rough and general summary of some signs of ethical behavior that a researcher should possess.

1- Honesty

It is based on striving to be honest in all scientific communications. Provide the reader with honest reports, data, results, methods, procedures and the status of publications. Do not manufacture, falsify or distort data. Do not mislead colleagues, research sponsors, or the public.

2- Objectivity

Avoid biases 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 the investigation.

3- Integrity

Keep promises and agreements, act sincerely, strive for consistency of thought and action.

4- Care

Avoid carelessness and negligence, critically and carefully examine your own work and that of colleagues.

Keep good records of research activities, such as data collection, research design, and correspondence with agencies or journals.

5- Frankness

Share data, results, ideas, tools and resources. Be open to criticism and new ideas.

6- Respect for intellectual property

Honor patents, copyrights, and other forms of intellectual property. Do not use unpublished data, methods or results without permission.

Give appropriate recognition or credit for all contributions to research. Never plagiarize.

7- Confidentiality

Protect confidential communications, such as documents or grants submitted for publication, personnel records, trade or military secrets, and patient records.

8- Responsible publication

Publish in order to advance the investigation, not to advance to the next stage. Avoid useless and duplicate publication.

9- Responsible guidance

Help educate, guide and advise students. Promote their well-being and allow them to make their own decisions.

10- Social responsibility

Strive to promote social good and prevent or mitigate social harm through research, public education, and advocacy.

11- Do not discriminate

Avoid discrimination against colleagues or students based on gender, race, ethnicity, or other factors unrelated to scientific competence and integrity.

12- Competition

Maintain and enhance your own professional competence and experience through education and lifelong learning. Take steps to promote competition in science as a whole.

13- Legality

Know and obey the pertinent laws and institutional and governmental policies.

14- Animal care

Show due respect and care for animals when using them in research. Do not conduct unnecessary or poorly designed experiments on animals.

15- Protection of human subjects

When conducting research in humans, it is important to minimize the harms and risks and maximize the benefits.

Respect human dignity, privacy and autonomy. Take special precautions with vulnerable populations and try to distribute the benefits and burdens of research fairly.

Why is ethical behavior important?

Many of these ethical standards help ensure that researchers can be held accountable to the public.

For example, federal policies on research misconduct, conflicts of interest, human protections, and the care and use of animals are necessary to ensure that researchers who are funded by public money can be held accountable to the population.

Ethical standards in research also help create public support for research. People are more likely to fund a research project if they can trust the quality and integrity of the research.

Finally, many of the research standards promote a variety of other important moral and social values, such as social responsibility, human rights, animal welfare, law enforcement, and public health and safety.

Ethical errors in research can significantly harm human and animal subjects, students, and the public.

For example, an investigator who fabricates data in a clinical trial may injure or even kill patients, and an investigator who fails to comply with regulations and guidelines related to radiation or biosafety may endanger his or her health and safety. staff and other people.

References

1. American Phychological Association. Guidelines for ethical conduct of behavioral projects involving human participants by high school students (2012). Recovered from: apa.org.
2. Blakstad O. Ethics in research (2008). Recovered from: explorable.com.
3. Munhall PL. Ethical considerations in qualitative research (1988). Western Journal of Nursing Research.
4. Resnik D. What is ethics in research & why is it important? (2015).
5. Sales BD, Folkman S. Ethics in research with human participants (2000). Washington: American Phychological Association.
6. Shamoo A, Resnik D. Responsible conduct of research (2015). New York: University Press.
7. Smith D. Five principles for research ethics (2003). American Phychological Association.