Ethics in Research

Research is a scientific investigation into a specific problem for the purpose of finding
solution to it. Research involves a systematic process of finding solution to the problem that is
expected to result in advancing knowledge to the society regarding the study under investigation.
A researcher is an individual or an organization that tries to unveil solution to the
problem that is currently under investigation. They are required to possess necessary skills to
perform the research process effectively. Skills required by research include problem solving,
analysis, dissemination and critical thinking skills.
Ethics refers to the moral principles or value that generally govern the conduct of an
individual or group. Research ethics are set of principles about how researchers and research
organizations should conduct themselves when dealing with research participants, other
researchers, colleagues, the users of their research and society in general. Ethics in research
include a diverse set of values, norms and institutional regulations that help constitute and
regulate scientific activity. Research ethics provides guidelines for the responsible conduct of
biomedical research and also educates and monitors researchers conducting research to ensure a
high ethical standard.
The main challenge in research ethics is the conflicts of interest between the researcher
and the researched. Research ethics are applied in every stage of the research including the
problem definition, stating research objectives/hypotheses, literature review, choice of research
design, questionnaire design, data collection procedures, data editing and cleaning, choice of
statistical method, data analysis, conclusions and recommendations and even referencing

THE ETHICAL ISSUES THAT A RESEARCHER NEEDS TO CONCIDER

1. INFORMED CONSENT
2. NO PRESSURE ON INDIVIDUALS TO PARTICIPATE
3. RESPECTING INDIVIDUALS AUTONOMY
4. TAKING PARTICULAR CARE IN RESEARCH WITH VULNERABLE GROUPS
5. MAINTAINING ANONYMITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY
6. AVOID COUSING HARM
7. OBJECTIVITY VS. SUBJECTIVITY
8. NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF EASY-ACCESS GROUP
9. OPENNESS
REASONS FOR HAVING RESEARCH ETHICS
1. To respect and cause no harm to the participants. Research ethics also exist to stand as means
for protecting the participants.
2. To ensure that research is conducted in a way that serves interest of individuals, groups and/or
society as a whole.
3. It promotes the aims of the research such as knowledge, truth and avoidance of error.
4. Ethical consideration in a research promotes the values that are essential to collaborative work
such as trust, accountability, and mutual respect. The researcher often involves cooperation and
coordination among many different people in different disciplines and institutions, hence
promoting the values are essential for collaborative work.
5. Research ethics also help to build public support for research. People are more likely to fund
research project if they know they can trust the quality and integrity of research.
6. It promotes a variety of other important moral and social values, such as social responsibility,
human rights, and animal welfare, compliance with the law, and health and safety.
7. It ensures that researchers can be held accountable to the public.
CONSEQUENCES OF VIOLATING RESEARCH ETHICS
There are various consequences that will result if a researcher violates the ethics in a research.
1. If ethics are violated, it will cause respondents to feel denigrated and this may create anger and
hostility in the participants hence jeopardizing future cooperation.
2. Violating ethics will also cause the public’s confidence in research projects and creditability of
those who engage to weakened.
3. It weakens researchers respect for their participants and undermine their own integrity and
commitment to the truth due to the practice of violating ethics.

All in all research ethics is applied in every stage in a research process and it involves
considering what is wrong or right and then doing the right thing in a research process which is
one of the factor regarding the quality of the research.