Ethics in Research

 Ethics in Research

Dr. Engr. Md. Abdur Rashid

Director (Admin & Finance)

National Academy for Planning and Development

Bangladesh

www.rashid-bd.info

1.     What is research?

 There are many definitions of research in the literature. Here some of the definitions are mentioned for the readers.

·       Research is common parlance refers to a search for knowledge.

·       It is an art of scientific investigation.

·       Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English lays down the meaning of research as “a careful investigation or enquiry, especially through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge”.

·       Robert does define research as “Research is essentially an investigation, a recording and an analysis of evidence to gain knowledge”.

Also, the definitions of research can be Search, Search, and Search. Today's search engine will not help us to get an answer to a question. Rather, true answers can be found at the field level by the primary data collection method.

2.     What is Ethics?

Ethics refers to well-based standards of right or wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do. It seeks to resolve questions of human morality by defining some concepts as

Good and evil

Right and wrong

Virtue and vice

Justice and crime 

3.     3. Research Ethical Principles

Following research ethical principles are maintained as an ideal researcher:

3.1 Institutional Approval

Research scholars obtain from host institutions or organizations appropriate approval is taken from the authority before conducting research. Without doing this, this can be a punishable offence as a public servant.

3.2 Offering Incentives for Research Respondents

Psychologists do not offer excessive or inappropriate financial or other inducements to obtain research participants, particularly when it might tend to coerce (বাধ্য করা) participations.

3.3 Boundaries of Competence:

Researchers provide services, teach and conduct research only within the boundaries of their competencies, based on their education, training, supervised experience or appropriate professional experience

3.4 Honesty

·       Strive for honesty in all scientific communications.

·        Honestly report data, results, methods and procedures, and publication status.

·       Do not fabricate, falsify, or misrepresent data.

·       Do not deceive colleagues, research sponsors, or the public.

3.5 Integrity

Keep your promises and agreements; act with sincerity; strive for consistency of thought and action.

3.6 Respect for Intellectual Property

Respect copyrights, patents, and other intellectual property rights. Unpublished data, procedures, or findings may not be used without permission. Give due credit or acknowledgment to everyone who has contributed to the research. Plagiarism results from failing to do so. The software turnitin is widely used worldwide to detect plagiarism. For publication in an article or PhD study report, plagiarism is typically accepted at a maximum of 15–25%, however this varies by institution.

3.7 An Informed Consent Form

It is a written arrangement signed by the researcher .. Concerning the terms and conditions of a subject’s voluntary participation in a study….

–       Complete informed consent has 4 characteristics-

1)     The subject must be competent to give consent

2)     Consent must be voluntary, free from coercion, and so forth

3)     The subject must be adequately informed to make a decision

4)     The subject must be aware of the risks or outcomes associated with the research.

Here a sample of the body of a letter is shown below. As researchers, we should send the letter to respondents.

Hello:

The body of the letter can contain the following issues……

My name is ….. . I am working with NAPD… Conducting PhD. I would like to appreciate your participation …….

It will take about 20 to minutes times……

Your personal information will keep hiding…….

You are free to respond and can avoid any unwanted private questions…

Ensuring that information will only be used for research purposes…..  And will not be disclosed to others anyhow….

 3.8 Ethically acceptable data collection:

• Don’t deceive respondents about the true purpose of the study.
• Don’t ask respondents questions that cause him/her extreme embarrassment.
• Don’t ask respondents questions that cause him/her emotional turmoil.
• Don’t ask respondents questions that cause him/her that cause guilt.
• Don’t threaten or compel the respondent to participate.
• Don’t violate a promise of confidentiality, such as disclosing the identity of the respondents.
• Consider the right time and place for research triangulation

3.9 Ethically acceptable data analysis:

• Don’t reveal part of the facts.
• Don’t reveal facts out of the context.
• Don’t reveal falsifying findings to please the clients.

4.     Conclusion

It is important for researchers to write study reports for their own mental satisfaction. Any study where any unethical facts are taken into account is cheating the nations. The results of this research will not be fabricated; rather, they will be grounded in data collected at the life field level. Don't attempt to console the recipients who granted you funding for your research. Write an accurate and lucid report and aid in future investigation.

The writer is Oracle Certified Professional, trainer, administrator, innovator,  researcher and can be contacted at the mail rashid.eee.cse@gmail.com

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