Transcript Ch14ResMethStrickler

Chapter 14 Overview
Ethics in Scientific Research
By: Charles J. Strickler
Instructor: Paul C. Sutton
From the Book: An Introduction to
Scientific Research Methods in Geography
By:
Daniel R. Montello and Paul C. Sutton
Ethics is the study of moral or proper action.
Three “Ethical Directives”
1: The right of scientists to pursue
knowledge, using methods of scientific
inquiry.
2: The right of people and other sentient
beings to be free from harm.
3: The right of society to gain benefit from
research while avoiding harm.
Ethical Directive 1
Scientists should show honesty, sincerity,
and truth
Sharing of data freely for the world
Don’t follow the money, follow your interests
Ethical Directive 2
Research subjects should be free from
harm, both human and non-human
Treat research assistants and colleagues
ethically
Do not plagiarize or cook data under any
circumstance
When a conflict of interest with a colleague
is evident, do not review or critique
Ethical Directive 3
Society has a right to the truth
Do not pursue research that you believe
will cause more harm than good
Society has a right to pay for whatever
research they deem necessary
Pursue and choose research topics that
will benefit society if the option is given to
you
Natural and Cultural World
Treat both the natural and cultural world
ethically
Do not destroy nature based on
convenience, only when it is absolutely
necessary and creates more positive
results than the destruction itself
Ethical directive 2 has been expanded to
all aspects of the natural world
Natural and Cultural World Cont.
 Leave the lowest footprint you can when
conducting field research (See Table 14.1 in text)
 Geographic research obtained ethically can
produce:
 Economic prosperity
 Medical breakthroughs
 Cleaner environments
 Increased food production
 Energy efficiency
 More livable cities
 Greater peace and security
Research Subjects
 Treat human research subjects ethically
 In 1974 the US Federal Government created
rules for human research subjects
 Right to confidentiality or anonymity, right to
privacy for the research subject
 Informed consent
 Minors need parental consent
 Subjects may quit study at any time PERIOD
 Absolutely no Deception in research!
 Subjects must be debriefed at end of study
Belmont Report
 Belmont report in 1979 further advances the rights of
human research subjects with three ethical principles
 Respect for persons
People should be treated as autonomous agents
and special protection should be given to subjects
with limited autonomy
 Beneficence
Benefits maximized for the subjects
Harm minimized for the subjects
 Justice
Benefits and burdens of research should be
distributed fairly among the test subjects
Institutional Human Subjects Review
 Institutional Review Boards (IRB’s)
 Created by universities and private research labs
 Oversee the ethical treatment of research subjects
 Federal Wide Assurance
 Issued by Federal Government
 All research done on human subjects need formal approval by
IRB
 Full Review
 When research involves considerable risk to subjects, minors or
other specifically targeted groups
 Exempt from Review
 Surveys of human subjects that is not have a high risk and is not
personally controversial
Institutional Human Subjects Review Cont.
 Expedited Review
 In between the two extremes, still requires all
paperwork, however less people are needed for the
review
 Human Subjects Research
 “any systematic investigation, including research
development, testing and evaluation, designed to
develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge that
uses (1) data collected through intervention or
interaction with a living human subject, or (2)
identifiable private information about a human
subject”