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Ethical Behavior in Scientific Research

Ethical Behavior in Scientific Research. Michael C. Loui Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign February 14, 2014. What are ethical issues in scientific research?. What research should we conduct? Allocating resources, social impact, …

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Ethical Behavior in Scientific Research

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  1. Ethical Behavior in Scientific Research Michael C. Loui Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign February 14, 2014

  2. What are ethical issues in scientific research? • What research should we conduct? • Allocating resources, social impact, … • What are the professional obligations of researchers? • We will focus on the second question

  3. What are issues in the responsible conduct of research (RCR)? • Scientific misconduct • Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism • Planning research • Compliance with regulations on human and animal subjects, conflict of interest • Conducting research • Data management, collaboration, mentoring • Reporting research • Authorship, publication, peer review

  4. How can we approach moral problems? • Identify • Affected parties • Rights and responsibilities • Additional information needed • Consider alternative actions • Imagine possible consequences

  5. How can we evaluate morality of actions? • Basic ethical values—honesty, fairness, civility, respect, kindness, etc. • Moral tests: • Harms test: Do the benefits outweigh the harms, short term and long term? • Reversibility test: Would I still think this choice is good if I traded places? • Common practice test: What if everyone behaved in this way?

  6. How can we evaluate morality of actions? • Legality test: Would this choice violate a law or a policy of my employer? • Colleague test: What would professional colleagues say? • Wise relative test: What would my wise old aunt or uncle do? • Mirror test: Would I feel proud of myself when I look into the mirror afterward? • Publicity test: How would this choice look on the front page of a newspaper?

  7. Example: Can sending spam be moral? • Spam is unwanted bulk e-mail • Could be honest, free speech, but … • Harms: Costly, reduces trust in e-mail • Reversibility: Senders dislike receiving spam • Common practice: Would clog network • Legality: CAN-SPAM law does not apply outside U.S., where much spam originates

  8. Data Management • http://nationalethicscenter.org/resources/38 • Trailer for ORI video “The Lab” • http://nationalethicscenter.org/resources/46

  9. What are the obligations of researchers in managing data? • Your ideas here!

  10. Handling errors • Read and discuss Scenario #1 • What should be done about the error? For what reasons? • Should Clever be an author of the second paper? For what reasons?

  11. Why is authorship an ethical issue? • Responsibility: collective accountability for accuracy of results • Fairness: receiving credit for contribution • What qualifies as a significant contribution that merits co-authorship?

  12. What are the professional obligations of an author? • Your ideas here!

  13. Plagiarism • http://nationalethicscenter.org/resources/40 • Read and discuss Scenario #2 • Should West use the background section material in this way? What reasons support your answer?

  14. Why should an author not copy the literature review of another author? • Your ideas here!

  15. Peer Review • http://nationalethicscenter.org/resources/44

  16. What are the professional obligations of a peer reviewer? • Your ideas here!

  17. Peer Reviewers • Read and discuss Scenario #3 • Should Robin have declined to review the manuscript? Why or why not? • Is it ethical for Robin to give the reviewing task to a student? • Should Robin tell Leslie about the theoretical ideas in the Nelson manuscript? If not, what should Robin do instead? Why?

  18. Mentoring • http://nationalethicscenter.org/resources/45 • Read and discuss Scenario #4 • What, if anything, can or should you do to address your concerns?

  19. What are the professional obligations of a research mentor? • Your ideas here!

  20. What are the professional obligations of a research student? • Your ideas here!

  21. Over time, the primary responsibility should shift from mentor to student 2Corbin, J. M., and Strauss, A. L., Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory, 3rd ed., Sage Publications, Los Angeles, Calf., 2008.

  22. The model explains conflicts between mismatched stages

  23. The model explains conflicts between mismatched stages

  24. Summary • The responsible conduct of research encompasses the professional obligations of researchers, from planning to publication • Obligations go beyond recording data accurately and citing sources completely • Authors, peer reviewers, and mentors have special obligations to ensure the integrity of research

  25. References • Office of Research, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, RCR videos http://nationalethicscenter.org/resources/42 • On Being a Scientist, 3rd ed. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, 2009 • Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Research, National Academy of Engineering, http://www.onlineethics.org • Steneck, N., ORI Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research, http://ori.hhs.gov/ori-intro

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