Consider The Following Ethical Dilemmas That May Face A Rese

Consider The Following Ethical Dilemnas That May Face A Researcher De

Consider the following ethical dilemmas that may face a researcher. Describe ways you might anticipate the problem and actively address how you would handle each in your research proposal.

1. A prisoner you are interviewing tells you about a potential breakout at the prison that night. What do you do?

2. A researcher on your team copies sentences from another study and incorporates them into the final written report for your project. What do you do?

3. A student collects data for a project from several individuals interviewed in families in your city. After the fourth interview, the student tells you that approval has not been received for the project from the IRB. What do you do?

Paper For Above instruction

Addressing ethical dilemmas in research is critical to uphold integrity, protect participants, and ensure compliance with regulations. The scenarios presented highlight common issues that researchers may encounter, and proactive strategies are essential to manage them effectively.

The first dilemma involves a prisoner who discloses a potential prison breakout during an interview. This situation poses a conflict between maintaining confidentiality and ensuring safety. Researchers must anticipate such disclosures and establish protocols prior to data collection. It is advisable to include in the informed consent process a clear statement about obligations to report safety threats or criminal activity. According to the American Psychological Association (2020), researchers have an ethical responsibility to break confidentiality when there is an imminent risk of harm. Therefore, in this case, the researcher should evaluate the severity and immediacy of the threat and follow institutional protocols for reporting safety concerns, often involving alerting authorities. Transparency with the participant about confidentiality limits is crucial from the outset, which helps manage expectations and foster trust while fulfilling ethical obligations.

The second dilemma pertains to plagiarism within a research team, where a team member copies sentences from another study into the final report. To prevent such issues, it is vital to foster an environment of academic integrity through clear guidelines and training on proper citation and use of source material. Prior to writing, team members should be encouraged to keep meticulous records of sources and utilize plagiarism detection software, such as Turnitin, as part of the review process. If such an incident occurs, the principal investigator should address it promptly by discussing the matter with the team member, emphasizing the importance of originality and proper attribution, and taking appropriate corrective actions, which may include rewriting the plagiarized sections and issuing warnings or disciplinary measures if necessary. Ethical research practice necessitates adherence to standards of honesty and transparency, which underpin scientific credibility and reputation.

The third scenario involves a student who has begun collecting data from interviews without IRB approval. This situation emphasizes the importance of obtaining institutional review board approval prior to data collection to protect participant rights and comply with ethical standards. The researcher should intervene immediately by stopping data collection and discussing the breach with the student. The next step involves guiding the student through the IRB re-application process, emphasizing the necessity of ethical approval before beginning research. According to the Belmont Report (1979), research involving human subjects must undergo ethical review to safeguard participant welfare. Continuing data collection without IRB approval jeopardizes ethical standards, risks legal repercussions, and can invalidate the research findings. Establishing protocols that ensure IRB approval is secured before data collection, such as checklists and ongoing audits, can help prevent such oversights.

In conclusion, proactive planning, clear communication of ethical standards, and adherence to institutional policies are fundamental in addressing and preventing research dilemmas. Researchers must anticipate potential issues, incorporate ethical safeguards into their protocols, and handle problems transparently and promptly when they arise. Upholding ethical standards not only protects participants and the integrity of the research but also enhances the credibility and societal value of scientific inquiry.

References

American Psychological Association. (2020). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. https://www.apa.org/ethics/code

Belmont Report. (1979). Ethical principles and guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research. National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research.

Resnik, D. B. (2015). What is ethics in research & why is it important? National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Steneck, N. H. (2007). Promoting research integrity: Common standards and practices. Office of Research Integrity.

Resnik, D. B., & Elliott, K. C. (2016). Ethical principles in research with human subjects. Research Ethics, 12(3-4), 128–139.

Fisher, C. B. (2019). Decoding the ethics code: A practical guide for psychologists. SAGE Publications.

Kimmelman, J. (2018). Lessons learned from research misconduct cases. The New England Journal of Medicine, 378(23), 2143–2145.

Sieber, J. E. (2009). The ethics of social research. Springer.

National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research. (1979). The Belmont Report.