By Saurav Yadav
Published on: December 27, 2023 at 14:28 IST
Researchers play an extremely important role in increasing knowledge, adding or giving to the improvement/ positive change of community of people or all good people in the world. However, the pursuit of research comes with honest and right or responsibilities to secure or make sure of the honest and good human quality/wholeness or completeness, believability, and wellbeing of both individuals who work to find information and the subjects of their studies.
At a point of time where research expands to different fields of study, the ethical considerations in research design, data collection methods and drawing assumptions have never been this important. In this article we will know more about what are the guidelines that a researcher should follow, and what research ethics should be there in the field of research. It is very necessary for a researcher to maintain some dignity and regulations to become a good researcher, and to let his research reach to a large audience or community.
What is research?
Research means to search or to find out and examine again the existing facts or knowledge. This is the very important process in acquiring new knowledge, it is scientific and systematic reexamination of existing facts or knowledge to check whether the existing knowledge can be relied upon or not.
“It is a systematized effort to gain new knowledge”
Redman and Mory
What are the objectives of research?
The objectives of research are as follows:
- To test and verify the old facts.
- To discover new facts.
- To examine the consequences of old or new facts.
What are Research ethics?
Ethics are personal behavior rules based on respect for one’s self, others and surroundings and is ruled and managed by the ways of thinking, basic truths, rules or ideas one thinks are true in supporting details the way people or organizations should conduct themselves.
The use of basic, honest and right ways of thinking to research activities which include the design and putting into use of research, respect towards a community of people and others, the use of useful things, valuable supplies and research outputs, scientific bad behavior and the regulation of research.
Research ethics refers to the set of principles and guidelines that govern the conduct of research involving human subjects, animals, or any other participants. The primary goal of research ethics is to ensure that the rights, wellbeing, and dignity of individuals involved in research are protected. Ethical considerations are essential throughout the entire research process, from the design and planning stages to data collection, analysis, and publication of results.
Why do Research ethics matter?
Research ethics matter for scientific honesty, wholeness or completeness, human rights and selfrespect worth, and working together as a team effort between science and society. These rules make sure that participation in studies is something you choose to do, informed, and safe for research subjects. But is not required or forced upon you.
It is essential to balance chasing after important research goals with using ethical research methods and procedures. It’s always necessary to prevent permanent or too much or too many harms to people who were part of a study, whether carelessly accidental or not.
Fighting against research ethics will also lower the believability of your research because it’s hard for others to trust your data if your methods are related to what’s right and wrong, possibly not true, good, or honest.
Even if a research idea is valuable to community of people, it doesn’t give a good reason for violating the human rights or selfrespect/builtin worth of your study with people who were part of your study.
Research Ethics
Research ethics serves as a set of principles guiding the responsible execution of research, simultaneously providing education and oversight to ensure a high ethical standard among participating scientists. Here is a concise overview of key ethical principles within research:
- Honesty: Maintain honesty in reporting data, results, methods, and publication status. Avoid fabrication, falsification, or misrepresentation of data.
- Objectivity: Strive to eliminate bias in experimental design, data analysis, data interpretation, peer review, personnel decisions, grant writing, expert testimony, and other research aspects.
- Integrity: Uphold promises and agreements, act sincerely, and strive for consistency in thought and action.
- Carefulness: Steer clear of careless errors and negligence, meticulously scrutinizing both personal and peer work. Maintain accurate records of research activities.
- Openness: Share data, results, ideas, tools, and resources, embracing criticism and new ideas.
- Respect for Intellectual Property: Honor patents, copyrights, and intellectual property. Seek permission before using unpublished data, methods, or results and provide proper credit, avoiding plagiarism.
- Confidentiality: Safeguard confidential communications, such as papers, grants, personnel records, and patient information.
- Responsible Publication: Publish to advance research and scholarship rather than solely personal career advancement. Avoid unnecessary and duplicative publication.
- Responsible Mentoring: Educate, mentor, and advise students, prioritizing their welfare and allowing independent decisionmaking.
- Respect for Colleagues: Treat colleagues with respect and fairness.
- Social Responsibility: Strive to contribute to social good, preventing or mitigating social harms through research, public education, and advocacy.
- NonDiscrimination: Avoid discrimination based on factors unrelated to scientific competence and integrity.
- Competence: Continuously enhance professional competence and expertise through lifelong learning, promoting competence in science as a whole.
- Legality: Adhere to relevant laws and institutional/governmental policies.
- Avoiding plagiarism: Avoiding stealing work from someone else and telling people it’s your own in research related to the rules and beliefs of doing the right thing is extremely important for maintaining the honest and good human quality/wholeness or completeness and believability of your work.
Here are some key practices to help you prevent stealing work from someone else and telling people it’s your own:
- Understand What Makes up/is equal to Stealing work from someone else and telling people it’s your own:
- Familiarize yourself with different forms of stealing work from someone else and telling people it’s your own, including word for word copying, saying in different words without proper citation, and selfstealing work from someone else and telling people it’s your own. Understand that presenting someone else’s ideas or work as your own is (dishonest and wrong).
- Proper Citation and Referencing: Whenever you use ideas, information, or words from another source, refer to the original work using the appropriate citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.). Include intext citations and a complete and thorough (list of books and articles used for something) or reference list.
- Use Quotation Marks for Direct Quotes: When directly quoting text from a source, use quotation marks and provide a proper citation. This points to/shows that the words are not your own and belong to the original author.
- Say in different words Effectively: If you need to say in different words information, do so in your own words while maintaining the original meaning. Still, even with (said in different words) content, provide a reference to another written work to admit/recognize/respond to the source.
- Credit Ideas, Ideas, and Data: If you use someone else’s ideas, ideas, or data, give credit to the original author. Admit/recognize/respond to their (thing that’s given/work that’s done) to your research and refer to the (clearly connected or related) sources.
Plagiarism can take various forms, ranging from intentional to unintentional instances. Here are some common types of plagiarism:
- Copy and Paste Plagiarism
- Paraphrasing Plagiarism
- SelfPlagiarism
- Image and Media Plagiarism
Challenges in research ethics
Research ethics is an energetic/changing field that meets a large number of challenges, especially in the big picture of changing and getting better technologies, worldwide group efforts, and two headed problems connected with the potential dual use of research results. Dealing with these challenges demands a preventive approach from researchers and institutions to make sure of the responsible conduct of research.
Two Headed Problems: The dualuse twoheaded problem refers to situations in which research has both possibly helpful and harmful uses. This ethical challenge is wellknown and obvious in fields such as Biotechnology, AI and other the latest and best sciences. Researchers are angrily faced and stood up to with the responsibility of expecting and looking ahead to lessening the potential of wrong and bad use of their work. Striking a balance between advancing scientific knowledge and preventing harmful uses causes a difficult and impressively strong challenge.
Emerging Technologies: The growth of technologies like AI, Gene editing, and NanoTech introduces new ethical considerations. These technologies often run faster than and win over the development of ethical foundations. creating a need for researchers to travel safely through unknown information.
Guidelines for Legal Researchers
Engaging in legal research constitutes a fundamental aspect of the legal profession, ensuring that legal practitioners possess access to precise and pertinent information to fortify their cases, legal opinions, and arguments. Below is a more detailed elucidation of the guidelines aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of legal research:
1. Define Your Research Objectives:
Clearly elucidate the purpose and scope of your research. Identify the specific legal issues, questions, or topics requiring attention. This initial step establishes the groundwork for focused and purposeful research.
2. Select Appropriate Resources:
Choose reliable and authoritative legal resources to cultivate a robust understanding of the legal landscape. Primary sources, encompassing statutes, regulations, and case law, alongside secondary sources like treatises, legal encyclopedias, and law reviews, contribute to a comprehensive research approach.
3. Understand Legal Terminology:
Acquaint yourself with pertinent legal terminology. Precision in employing legal terms is imperative for ensuring accurate and effective research outcomes.
4. Use Online Legal Databases:
Access reputable online legal databases such as Westlaw, LexisNexis, or other jurisdiction specific platforms. These databases offer extensive collections of legal materials, facilitating efficient and thorough research.
5. Explore Case Law:
Scrutinize relevant court decisions to grasp how previous cases have interpreted and applied the law. Utilize key citations and legal databases to pinpoint pertinent case law that fortifies your legal argument.
6. Consult Statutory Law:
Review applicable statutes and regulations, paying meticulous attention to any amendments, revisions, or updates. Ensuring the currency of your information is crucial for presenting a wellinformed case.
7. Refer to Secondary Sources:
Consult legal treatises, encyclopedias, and law reviews for indepth analyses and interpretations of legal issues. These secondary sources offer valuable insights and guidance in navigating complex legal terrain.
8. Check Legal Journals and Periodicals:
Explore legal journals and periodicals to stay abreast of recent developments, scholarly articles, and commentary on specific legal topics. These sources provide alternative perspectives and arguments, enriching your research.
9. Verify the Credibility of Sources:
Confirm that the sources you use are reliable, credible, and from reputable publishers or organizations. Scrutinize the authority and expertise of authors to ensure the reliability of your research materials.
10. Update Your Research:
Legal landscapes are dynamic, with laws evolving over time. Regularly update your research to incorporate any new statutes, regulations, or court decisions that may impact your case.
11. Document Your Research Process:
Maintain detailed records of your research process, encompassing the sources consulted, relevant quotes, and citations. This documentation is crucial for creating a thorough and wellsupported legal argument and serves as a reference for future research.
12. Stay Organized:
Systematically organize your research findings using folders, labels, and digital tools. This organization ensures easy retrieval of documents, cases, and relevant information, contributing to a more efficient research process.
13. Collaborate and Seek Guidance:
Foster collaboration with colleagues, mentors, or legal research professionals. Seeking guidance can provide valuable insights and enhance the quality of your research through diverse perspectives.
14. Understand Jurisdictional Differences:
Acknowledge jurisdictional differences, recognizing that legal principles and interpretations may vary. Tailor your research approach to align with the specific jurisdiction relevant to your case.
15. Stay Ethical:
Adhere to ethical standards throughout the research process. Avoid misrepresentation of facts, plagiarism, and any other unethical practices, maintaining the integrity of your research and upholding the standards of the legal profession.
By adhering to these comprehensive guidelines, legal professionals can conduct research that is not only thorough and accurate but also ethically sound, supporting their legal arguments and providing valuable insights in various legal matters.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the adherence to the comprehensive guidelines outlined above empowers legal professionals to engage in research that is characterized by thoroughness, accuracy, and ethical integrity. By following these principles, practitioners ensure the robustness of their legal arguments and gain valuable insights across diverse legal matters. Ultimately, these guidelines serve as a roadmap for legal professionals to navigate the complexities of legal research, enabling them to contribute effectively to the legal discourse and uphold the highest standards of the legal profession.
