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Ethics, also known as moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy, that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concept of right and wrong behaviour. It involves the application of fundamental ethical principles to planning, conducting and publishing of research.

What are Research Ethics?

Ethics are the set of rules that govern expectations of our own and others behaviour. They are the set of ethical guidelines that guides us on how research should be conducted and disseminated. They govern the standard of conduct for researchers. It is the guideline for responsibly conducting the research.

Research ethics are unambiguously concerned in the examination of ethical issues that are unpraised when individuals are involved as participants in the study.

Research ethics committee/ Institutional Review Board reviews whether the research is ethical enough or not to protect the rights, dignity and welfare of the respondents.

Objectives of Research Ethics

Objectives of research ethics are as follows: -

  1. To guard /protect human participants, their dignity, rights and welfare.
  2. To make sure that research is directed in a manner that assists welfares of persons, groups and/or civilization as a whole.
  3. To inspect particular research events and schemes for their ethical reliability, considering issues such as the controlling risk, protection of privacy and the progression of informed consent.

Principles of Research Ethics

Research ethics has some principles to be followed. They are as follows: -

  1. Honesty - Being honest with the beneficiaries and respondents. Being honest about the findings and methodology of the research. Being honest with other direct and indirect stakeholders.
  2. Integrity - Ensuring honestly and sincerity. Fulfilling agreement and promises. Do not create false expectations or make false promises.
  3. Objectivity - Avoiding bias in experimental design, data analysis, data interpretation, peer review and other aspects of research.
  4. Informed Consent - Informed consent means that a person knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently gives consent to participate in a research. It is related to the autonomous right of the individual to participate in the research. It refers to informing the participant about the research objective, their role, benefits/ harm (if any) etc.
  5. Respect for Person - Autonomy, which requires that those who are capable of deliberation about their personal goals should be treated with respect for their capacity for self - determination. It refers to protection of persons with impaired or diminished autonomy, which requires that those who are dependent or vulnerable be afforded security against harm or abuse.
  6. Beneficence - Maximize the benefits of the participants. Ethical obligation to maximize possible benefits and to minimize possible harms to the respondents.
  7. Non Maleficence/ Protecting the Subjects - Do not harm. Minimize harms or risks to the human. Ensure privacy, autonomy and dignity.
  8. Responsible Publication - Responsibly publishing to promote and uptake research or knowledge. No duplicate publication.
  9. Protecting Anonymity - It means keeping the participant anonymous. it involves not revealing the name, caste or any other information about the participants that may reveal his/ her identity.
  10. Non-Discrimination - Avoid discrimination on the basis of age, sex, race, ethnicity or other factors that are violation of human rights and are not related to the study.
  11. Openness - Be open to sharing results, data and other resources. Also accept encouraging comments and constructive feedback.
  12. Confidentiality - Protecting confidential information, personal records. It includes information such as: -
  • introduction and objective of the research
  • purpose of the discussion
  • procedure of the research
  • anticipated advantages, benefits/harm from the research
  • use of research
  • their role in research
  • right to refuse or withdraw
  • methods which will be used to protect and ensure anonymity and confidentiality of the participants
  • freedom to not answer any question/ withdraw from the research
  • who to contact if the participant needs additional information about the research
  1. Carefulness and Respect for Intellectual Property - Be careful about the possible error and biases. Give credit to the intellectual property of others. Always paraphrase while referring to other article, writing. Never plagiarize.
  2. Justice - The obligation to distribute benefits and burdens fairly, to treat equals equally and to give reasons for the differential treatment based on widely accepted criteria for just ways to distribute benefits and burdens.