Research Ethics and Integrity Flashcards

Flashcards to review key vocabulary related to research ethics and integrity.

Research Integrity

Encompasses the broader principles of responsible research conduct, including honesty, rigor, and transparency throughout the entire research process.

Research Ethics

Specifically addresses the moral considerations and ethical treatment of research subjects, particularly in studies involving humans or animals.

Integrity Core Principles

Honesty, Rigour, Transparency, Fairness, Respect, Recognition, Accountability, Promotion

Researcher Responsibilities

Being safe, keeping records, sharing findings and data, being honest and accurate, citing well, disclosing conflicts of interest, respecting culture and heritage, supervising well, undertaking training, using funds as agreed, considering the uses of your research, seeking advice, reporting problems

When Research Goes Wrong

Conducting research without ethics approval, misuse of research funds, fabrication of research data, plagiarism, failure to appropriately maintain research records

Fabrication

Making up research data or source material

Falsification

Changing or omitting research data or source material

Misrepresentation

Representing research data or source material in a misleading way

Plagiarism

Using someone else’s work without proper attribution

Duplicate Plagiarism (Self-Plagiarism)

Repeating your own work without acknowledgement.

Peer Review Misconduct

Not conducting peer review responsibly

Conflicts of Interest Misconduct

Failing to disclose and manage conflicts of interest

Authorship Misconduct

Failing to acknowledge contributions of others fairly or misleading ascription of authorship.

Supervision Misconduct

Failing to provide adequate guidance or mentorship on responsible research conduct

National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2023)

A series of guidelines used to assess if research meets ethical standards when involving human participants.

Human Research

Research conducted with or about people, or their data or tissue.

Merit and Integrity

Justifiable, appropriate methods, based on existing literature, competence, facilities

Justice

Fair, accurate, access

Beneficence

Minimise risk & discomfort, participants informed

Respect

Dignity, beliefs, customs, culture, privacy, right to decide

Physical Harm

Injury, illness, pain or death

Psychological Harm

Feelings of worthlessness, distress, guilt, anger, fear or anxiety related, for example, to disclosure of sensitive information.

Devaluation of Personal Worth

Being humiliated, manipulated or in other ways treated disrespectfully or unjustly

Cultural Harm

Misunderstanding, misrepresenting or misappropriating cultural beliefs, customs or practices

Social Harm

Damage to social networks or relationships with others, discrimination in access to benefits, services, employment or insurance

Economic Harm

The imposition of direct or indirect costs on participants

Legal Harm

Discovery and prosecution of criminal conduct.

Low Risk Review Panel

Requires online assessment with at least two independent reviewers, performed dynamically with no deadlines.

The AIATSIS Code

Requires consultation with traditional owners for research involving Indigenous people or their ICIP.

The 3 Rs of Animal Ethics

Replacement, Reduction, Refinement

Biological Safety and Ethics

Ensuring the safety of the researchers, others in the research environment and protecting the environment from exposure to GMO and biohazards

Research

A systematic investigation undertaken to increase or revise existing knowledge

Ethics and Compliance Approvals

All proposals reviewed if they work with people, animals, biohazards or genetic modification.

Why Ethics?

Protects participants, animals and the environment.

Who is a researcher?

Includes academic employees, research adjuncts, research students and honorary research fellows.

Animal Research

Requires Animal Ethics Committee Approval.

Authorship

Must have substantial contributions to the work, drafting or reviewing the writing, final approval and accountability for all aspects.

Commercial Human Cell Lines

Requires ongoing consent and still needs ethics approval

Animal Welfare Act 2002

State Government legislation regarding animal welfare.

Low Quality Ethics Applications

Requires researchers to think about risks to university compliance, reputation, and legal standing.