Chapter 3

Students whose research projects involve human participants and who are attempting to produce scientific, generalizable knowledge need to have their research proposals reviewed by IRBs.

• True

• False

Since Marty’s instructor is conducting the research during class time, it would be ethical for the instructor to take away class participation points for those students who do not want to complete questionnaires.

• True

• False

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) receive protocols from researchers.  A protocol is similar to a:

• a really good independent variable

• hypothesis

• proposal or research design

• an operationalized dependent variable

When a participant in a research study is incapable of providing informed consent, the researcher should:

• Obtain written consent from an appropriate proxy

• Obtain participants’ assent to the extent he or she is able

• Provide an appropriate explanation to participants

• All of these are correct.

Marty’s social work instructor gave the students a brief questionnaire about their use of alcohol for a study the instructor hoped to publish. Marty’s personal information is better protected in which scenario?

• although students sign their names, the instructor promises them confidentiality

• students are given extra credit if they volunteer

• students have the right of implied consent

• students complete the questionnaires anonymously

Research participants always
have the right to know any possible risks to participation in a research project.

• True

• False

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was designed to:

• Protect patients’ healthcare information from insurance companies

• Make it difficult for healthcare providers’ data to be hacked

• Make it difficult for unscrupulous doctors to overbill Medicare and Medicaid

• Protect individuals’ personally identifiable health information

Ethical guidelines are clear that research subjects should never be paid any form of compensation or receive an incentive to participate.

• True

• False

What is the purpose of the Institutional Review Board (IRB)? (Multiple correct answers)

• to ensure that any projects they approve are scientifically sound

• to train students on the correct way to conduct research

• to monitor the funding research projects receive

• to protect human beings from possibly harmful research

What are the three ethical principles identified by The Belmont Report?

• Beneficence

• Respect

• Justice

• Confidentiality