Ethical Principles in Research

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informed consent

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an ethical principle that research participants be told enough/provided with enough information to enable them to make an informed choice about whether they wish to participate (if under 16, parents give informed consent)

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deception

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misleading participants about the true purpose of a study or the events that will actually transpire

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right to withdraw

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participants should be aware that they can leave the study at any time, even if they have been paid to take part, and should not receive any negative consequence for doing so. Their data must be destroyed

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protection from harm

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the right of research participants to be protected from physical or psychological harm, must leave in the same mental or physical state as when they entered the study

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confidentiality

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identity, names and personal details of the participants must not be released/shared and be kept safe

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debriefing

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participants need to receive a post-experimental explanation of a study, filling them in on details including the study's purpose and any deceptions, to its participants. Researchers need to check that the participant has not suffered any mental or physical harm

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accurate reporting

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researchers use the data collected to draw appropriate and valid conclusions in order to further the knowledge base in the given area. They must not create fake data or draw untrue conclusions from their research data

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professional conduct

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the researcher of any study needs to adhere to all ethical principles and should maintain a rigorous standard in each stage of the research. They must respect the rights of the participants and justify the treatment of the subjects, whether they are human or animal

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Scientific Method

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A series of steps followed to solve problems including collecting data, formulating a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, and stating conclusions.

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hypothesis

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A testable prediction, often implied by a theory