What Are the Principles of Ethical Research?

Ethical behavior is an integral part of human life. It is all-pervasive—a part of every field of human endeavor. Its principles are connected with conscientiousness and morality. 

When it comes to research, ethics play an important role. Research ethics should influence every aspect of work—from searching for research paper topics to the actual writing.

searching for research paper topics

What is ethical research?

While preparing a research paper or conducting research, you should strictly adhere to the principle of research ethics. The underlying principle of this idea is to protect the participants in your study and ensure that they fall to no harm. Research must take into account all stakeholders. Also, your research should neither result in negative social impacts nor lack professionalism.

The main principles

There are a few main principles of ethical decision making which you should follow while conducting your research. 

Concerning your participants, research ethics dictate that they must be well informed about the kind of research in which they are taking part. Their consent should be informed consent with full awareness of possible negative pitfalls. They should also have the right to withdraw at any moment. You should always protect the anonymity and privacy of your participants. As the researcher, you must ensure that harm is minimized throughout the course of the research. Deceptive practices, including manipulation of results, are a violation of research ethics. They are not allowed.

ethical decision making

Relevance

Today, ethical decision making in research is more important than ever. Much research is taking place worldwide in various fields. Students are searching for novel research paper topics. Tons of research papers are being published. Similar topics are being researched at the same time. All this causes a great degree of competition, and sometimes researchers can fall prey to the tendency to cut corners, violating research principles. This is harmful to all stakeholders, including the research community. 

To ensure that researchers and society in general benefit from the best scientific and academic investigations, research ethics should be embedded in the work of every researcher.

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