COM726 Support - Week 2

Ethics - “Do No Harm”

All staff and students have a responsibility to ensure, as far as possible, the physical, social, and psychological well-being of those involved in any teaching, research, and innovation they carry out. In doing so, they should aim to anticipate and guard against potentially harmful consequences wherever possible.

In addition, all research and innovation must comply with the UK legislation concerning, for example, Human Rights; General Data Protection Regulation and other Data Protection Laws; Freedom of Information; Obscenity, and Public Decency (this is not an exhaustive list). Where standing/specialist panels and the University Research Ethics and Integrity Committee wish to seek advice in this regard, they should, in the first instance, contact the Clerk to the Governors and the University’s Legal Officer.

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SOLENT UNIVERSITY, 2022. University Ethics Policy. [viewed 28 June 2023) https://students.solent.ac.uk/official-documents/quality-management/academic-handbook/2s-solent-university-ethics-policy.pdf

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Unethical research refers to studies that violate ethical principles and fail to uphold the well-being, rights, and dignity of the participants or subjects involved. Here are some examples of unethical research:

  1. Uninformed Consent: Conducting research without obtaining informed consent from participants is unethical. Informed consent involves providing participants with all relevant information about the study, its purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits, and allowing them to voluntarily agree or decline participation. Failing to obtain informed consent or misleading participants about the nature of the research is a serious ethical violation.
  2. Coercion or Undue Influence: Coercing or exerting undue influence on individuals to participate in research against their will or better judgment is unethical. Researchers should ensure that participants have the freedom to make independent decisions about their involvement in a study, without any form of coercion or pressure.
  3. Lack of Confidentiality and Privacy: Failing to protect participants’ confidentiality and privacy breaches ethical standards. Researchers have a responsibility to ensure that participants’ personal information and data remain confidential and are not disclosed without their explicit consent. Anonymity and confidentiality should be maintained throughout the research process, from data collection to publication.
  4. Deception: Deliberately misleading or deceiving participants without justifiable reasons is unethical. While certain research studies may require deception to achieve valid results, it should be minimal and justified. Participants should be informed about any potential deception and debriefed afterward to ensure their well-being and understanding.
  5. Harm to Participants: Conducting research that causes physical, psychological, or emotional harm to participants beyond minimal and justifiable levels is unethical. Researchers should prioritize the well-being of participants and take necessary measures to mitigate any potential risks. Participants should never be exposed to unnecessary harm or placed in dangerous situations.
  6. Exploitation of Vulnerable Populations: Conducting research on vulnerable populations, such as children, prisoners, or individuals with impaired decision-making capacity, requires extra ethical considerations. Exploiting these populations or conducting research that could disproportionately harm them without adequate justification is unethical.
  7. Plagiarism and Misrepresentation: Presenting someone else’s work or ideas as one’s own without proper acknowledgment or giving credit is unethical. Plagiarism undermines academic integrity and intellectual honesty. Similarly, misrepresenting data, results, or findings to fit desired outcomes or biases is unethical and compromises the integrity of research.
  8. Lack of Research Integrity: Engaging in fraudulent practices such as data fabrication, falsification, or selective reporting of results is highly unethical. Research integrity requires transparency, honesty, and adherence to sound scientific practices. Misrepresenting or manipulating data undermines the reliability and credibility of research.

It is important for researchers to be aware of these examples of unethical research practices and adhere to ethical guidelines and standards to ensure the protection and well-being of research participants.