Compared with other social activities, research is characterized by a high degree of autonomy and is accompanied by high societal expectations. Members of the public generally regard professional researchers with respect and trust, and they believe that the ultimate purpose of scientific research is to advance human and societal well being.
If a researcher engages in conduct that contravenes social norms or universal values, not only will the researcher’s integrity be called into question, but the researcher’s career may also be jeopardized. From society’s perspective, research outcomes produced in disregard of ethics can lead a nation to misguided policy decisions and may mislead other researchers, causing subsequent academic development to be built upon erroneous work. From a national standpoint, violations of Academic Research Ethics undermine Taiwan’s international reputation and heighten skepticism within the global research community toward our country’s research outputs. Accordingly, given the distinctive nature and importance of research—and the consequences of ethical breaches—the establishment of Academic Research Ethics standards is both urgent and necessary.
Etymologically, we may begin with definitions of “research” and “ethics.” “Research” aims to seek answers to specific questions and generally refers to the systematic use of scientific methods to plan and design studies, collect data, and analyze and interpret those data. “Ethics,” by contrast, refers to the objective principles and norms that an individual’s conduct ought to follow within a given social context and historical setting (Chang, 2007). Therefore, ethics examines human behavior through a rational lens and inductively formulates generally applicable principles that serve to guide and regulate conduct.
The ethics of conducting research—collectively referred to in this course as Academic Research Ethics—are the behavioral norms that must be followed when carrying out research activities. They also provide the standards by which a researcher’s conduct is assessed for conformity with objective social principles (Wang, 2004).
Scholars have noted that topics within Academic Research Ethics encompass a researcher’s own moral decision making, integrity and honesty, prudent planning and use of societal and research resources (i.e., costs), and the distinction between proper and improper research practices, among others (Liao, 2011). All individuals involved in research are subject to these standards, including undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, university faculty, and researchers in public and private institutions. Because ethics concerns the legitimacy of research conduct, those engaged in research should continually ask themselves whether their actions are proper and aligned with ethical norms, in order to ensure the propriety of their research practices.
By way of example, in the context of academic research conducted at colleges and universities, the relationships among the components of these ethical issues are illustrated in the figure below:
