Abstract
This chapter introduces the reader to ethical issues related to most research approaches in social science and education and provides an in-depth background and rationale for adhering to ethics in research practice. It fosters an appreciation of ethical strategies in undertaking research involving both humans and non-humans, but particularly the need for respecting human dignity. The stages of intellectual property in research are highlighted with a view to conscientise the reader on the need to respect and acknowledge other people's work. The conflict between positivists and social constructionists, which arises due to differences between subjectivity and objectivity is also noted and explored, leading to an examination of what values may mean in a research inquiry.
TopIntroduction
Ethical considerations are critical in every research inquiry and this chapter explores several ethical responsibilities that a researcher has, to ensure a valid outcome in a research study. The history of research has a catalogue of several cases of abuse committed by researchers on human and non-human elements and these are discussed later under the background section. Such kind of abuses and brutal experiments in the past have led to the development of ethical codes of conduct in research. A researcher is supposed to identify potential risks in a proposed inquiry and to protect the research subjects from any harm arising from the research process. The responsibility to protect participants is even more critical when the research involves vulnerable groups such as children, older adults, the disabled and mental health patients. Both qualitative and quantitative researchers should be equipped with adequate strategies for researching ethically, whether this involves humans or non-humans. There are ethical issues that a researcher should always consider when conducting a research study on humans and no-humans to ensure the research process is morally sound and the outcomes are credible. The violations of research ethics by researchers can sometimes lead to questionable findings and litigation in extreme cases. This chapter consists of the following subheadings:
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Rationale Behind Ethics in Scientific Research
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Ethical Considerations for Humans
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Ethical Considerations for Non-Humans
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Intellectual Property Rights in Scientific Research
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Objectivity versus Subjectivity in Scientific Research
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Values in Scientific Research
By the end of this chapter, the reader should be able to explain the rationale behind research ethics and to examine ethics for humans and non-humans.
Furthermore, the reader should be able to differentiate between subjectivity and objectivity in research, appreciate the role of values in research and intellectual property rights. Several examples and tasks have been provided to deepen knowledge and understanding of ethics in research.
Case Study
Thomas was an undergraduate student at CUEA. He decided to undertake a research project with drug addicts. Thomas prepared his proposal and research instruments according to the university guidelines. However, he suffered a setback during the period of data collection. Out of seven drug addicts who were supposed to be part of the study, only one accepted to be part of the study. The rest rejected because he failed to get permission in advance. Thomas had to abandon the project and therefore graduated a year later.
It is painful to note that Thomas failed to observe ethical guidelines on access and informed consent, which led him to finish his undergraduate program a year later than planned. Researchers are always encouraged to get ethical approval to undertake their studies promptly to avoid disappointments. Ethical guidelines should be adhered to when undertaking any form of research at all levels.
Background
This section gives a brief historical background on some of the unethical cases in which the rights of research subjects were violated during the conduction of experiments which led to the strengthening of ethical codes and guidelines, requiring all forms of researchers to comply.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Research Ethics: Are rules and regulations that guide researchers when undertaking their studies.
Non-Humans: Animals involved in research projects.
Key Informants: Respondents who can give appropriate information to the researchers during data gathering.
Gatekeepers: Are people or leaders in charge of research sites.
Humans: People involved in research projects as respondents.
Intellectual Property: Means the ownership of the research outputs.