ETHICS, RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

AND QUESTIONS
DR. GITANJALI ROY
What is everyday ethics?

• The ATM spits out an extra Rs.100 in your favor. Keep the money and your mouth shut?

• At a restaurant you notice your friend’s girlfriend/boyfriend engaged in some serious flirting with another
person. Tell your friend—and possibly ruin the relationship—or mind your own business?

• You can avail yourself of a free wireless connection by accessing the account of your next-door neighbor.
Silly not to?

• Your colleague is forever taking credit for your and other people’s work. Is it okay to exact a little revenge
and for once take credit for her labors?

• Is it all right to laugh at a sexist joke?

Ethics

Latin word ‘ethos’- means ‘character’

- Ethics are moral principles that guide a person’s behaviour
- Collection of rules to govern right and wrong, moral and immoral, good and bad.
Importance of ethics-
- Character building
- Understanding ideas, values and virtues
- Responsibility and duty
- Social issues
- Law, justice and order
- In the field of Philosophy, psychology, religion, business, politics etc
Principles of ethics

1- beneficence- make sure others’ gain, show kindness.

2- non-maleficence- least amount of harm to others even with good intentions

3- autonomy- not to force our opinion on others

4- non-violence

5- justice- all parties must be treated fairly.

6- truthfulness- telling the truth, not upholding any information, objectivity in

study/research
Moral and ethics

A moral precept is an idea or opinion that’s driven by a desire to be good.

An ethical code is a set of rules that defines allowable actions or correct

behavior.

An ethical code doesn’t have to be moral. It’s just a set of rules for people to
follow.

Organisations framing ethics- the Indian Bar Association, American

Psychological Association, and the Indian Medical Association
Research ethics

-Academic work is planned and necessary research oriented

-research is curious, self-evolving, single/group performer

-quest of truth is the ideal goal

- fresh research study points out various mistakes in previous studies.

-human studies focus on welfare, knowledge improvement, understanding

behaviour, analysis of phenomenon, validating social ideas, evaluating policies
and changing human situation.
What are unethical research?
Sterilization experiments. March 1941 - January 1945. Conducted to develop methods of rapid, large
scale sterilization in order to ensure the eventual elimination of "enemy" populations while keeping
captive workers as a labor force during the war. Experiments were planned and/or conducted at
Auschwitz, Ravensbrueck, and elsewhere employing drugs, x-rays, and surgery. Charged against Brack,
K. Brandt, R. Brandt, Gebhardt, Mrugowsky, Oberheuser, Pokorny, and Poppendick. The charges against
Mrugowsky and Oberheuser were withdrawn. K. Brandt, Pokorny, and Poppendick were acquitted; Brack,
R. Brandt, and Gebhardt were convicted.
The Nuremberg Code
The Nuremberg Code drafted at the end of the Doctor's trial in Nuremberg 1947 has been hailed as a landmark document in medical
and research ethics. Close examination of this code reveals that it was based on the Guidelines for Human Experimentation of 1931.

Ten fundamental moral precepts-

1. Participants must willingly provide their consent

2. Research objectives should advance society
3. Research must be founded on the Reliable theory and previous testing
4. Research must prevent needless pain and suffering
5. Study initiatives cannot move forward if they might result in fatalities or serious injuries
6. The amount of risk taken with study subjects cannot be more than the potential outcome of the findings
7. Participants must be given a safe environment
8. Researcher must have a background in science and research to perform experiments
9. Human test volunteers should have the opinion to withdraw their involvement at any moment
10. If there is reason to think that continuing the experiment may be detrimental or result in damage or death,
scientist must be ready to stop.
The Helsinki Declaration
Second significant effort to encourage ethical research involving human beings.
The World Medical Association created the Helsinki Declaration -
1. The requirement for engaging an impartial researcher to evaluate new
research proposal.
2. Hiring professional to oversee the study and be incharge of the well-being
and health of subjects
3. Significance of keeping study findings accurate
4. Advice on how to get study subjects’ permission after providing all info
5. Requirements for doing research on minors and people who are mentally
incapable
6. Assessing and administering experimental therapies
7. Significance of selecting the circumstances and scenarios that are suitable
and secure for study
Importance of ethics in research

1. The goal of research - knowledge, truth and mistake are norms.

2. The principles that are fundamental to collaborative work, trust,
accountability, mutual respect and fairness are ethical norms.
3. Many ethical rules can hold the researcher responsible like in a clinical trial
4. Public support for research is also strengthened by ethical standards in
terms. Calibre and integrity
Principles of research ethics

1. No harm to participants
2. Obtaining informed consent
3. Protecting anonymity and confidentiality
4. Avoiding deceptive practices
5. Voluntary participation
Intellectual honesty and research integrity

When one respects the right to intellectual property

Participants, processes and assessment tools, variables, reliability and validity

and objectivity properties- properly approached

COPE- Committee on Publication Ethics, 1997

Scientific misconduct- researcher’s misconduct by Data fabrication, Data

falsification, and Plagiarism.
 Ethics in action
Situation:

Imagine you are a researcher conducting a study on the impact of a new teaching
methodology on student performance in a local school district. As part of your
research design, you plan to collect data through classroom observations, student
surveys, and interviews with teachers. The study is expected to provide valuable
insights into the effectiveness of the teaching approach and contribute to educational
improvement.

Ethical Dilemma: During the course of your study, you observe that some students are
struggling significantly with the new teaching methodology, and their academic
performance appears to be adversely affected. Additionally, some teachers express
concerns about the emotional well-being of certain students who seem frustrated and
stressed by the changes.
 Informed Consent:
Debriefing:
○ Ensure that all participating students, teachers, and
Provide a debriefing session to participating teachers and
parents are fully informed about the nature, purpose, students at the conclusion of the study. Address any concerns,
and potential risks of the study. Make it clear that clarify the purpose of the research, and share the overall
participation is voluntary. findings, including potential areas for improvement in the
teaching methodology.
Confidentiality:
Continuous Monitoring:
Avoid disclosing any identifying information in your
research reports that could lead to the identification of Continuously monitor the well-being and academic progress
individual students or teachers. of the students involved in the study. If any adverse effects
persist, take prompt action to address the issues and
Minimization of Harm: collaborate with the school to implement necessary
adjustments.
Prioritize the well-being of participants. If the
Transparent Reporting:
observed struggles are significant, consider
modifying your study to provide additional support When reporting the study findings, be transparent about both
or intervention to the affected students. Share this the positive and negative outcomes of the new teaching
information transparently with the school methodology. This ensures an accurate representation of the
administration. study and contributes to the ethical dissemination of research
results.
Research Question

Title

Introduction

The significance of the study (rationale)

Strauss and Corbin (1998) define a research question as: “The specific query to be
addressed by this research that sets the parameters of the project and suggests
the methods to be used for data gathering and analysis”.

Research questions dictate the choice of a method to be employed by the

researcher.

Research questions enable the development of theory or a framework.

Research questions typically inquire about the ontological (set of concepts),

phenomenological (philosophical movement), epistemological (study of
knowledge) and normative nature of the problem or issue at hand (Roode, 1993: p.
71-72).
Steps to formulate research questions

1. Choose a broad topic

2. Review literature
3. Identify specific research interests
4. Consider the purpose of your research
5. Determine the scope of your research
6. Brainstorm potential research questions
7. Evaluate and refine your question
8. Write the research questions
9. Review them
Research objectives

Research objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-

bound statements that define what you aim to accomplish through your research.
1. Start with your research question
2. Break down the RQ
3. Consider the key components of your study
4. Use SMART=specific measurable achievable relevant time-bound.
5. Concise and focused
6. Prioritize objectives
7. Consider potential outcomes
8. Review and refine
Difference between RQ and RO
Research Question:

○ is a concise, specific inquiry that guides the overall direction of the study.
○ defines the problem or issue that the researcher aims to investigate.
○ are often framed as interrogative statements that express what the researcher
wants to explore or understand.
○ help to define the scope and focus of the study and provide a basis for
formulating hypotheses (in quantitative research) or guiding the inquiry process
(in qualitative research).

Example: Research Question: "What is the relationship between social media usage and
mental health among adolescents?"
Research Objectives:
○ specific, measurable goals that the researcher aims to achieve through the study.
○ formulated based on the research question and provide a roadmap for conducting the
research.
○ Research objectives break down the broader research question into smaller,
manageable components or tasks.
○ Objectives are often written as statements that specify the intended outcomes of the
study in terms of what the researcher plans to accomplish.
○ Research objectives guide the research process, help to define the scope of the study,
and provide criteria for evaluating the success of the research.
Example: Research Objective 1: "To examine the frequency and duration of social media usage
among adolescents aged 13-18."
Research Objective 2: "To assess the prevalence of symptoms of depression and anxiety among
adolescents aged 13-18."
Research Objective 3: "To investigate the correlation between social media usage patterns and self-
reported mental health outcomes among adolescents."
Example - investigate the impact of music on cognitive performance in students
Research Question: "What is the effect of listening to music on cognitive performance in students during
a memory recall task?"

Research Objectives:

1. To assess the cognitive performance of students during a memory recall task in a quiet
environment.
2. To measure the cognitive performance of students during a memory recall task while listening to
instrumental music with a slow tempo.
3. To measure the cognitive performance of students during a memory recall task while listening to
instrumental music with a fast tempo.
4. To compare the cognitive performance scores between the quiet environment condition and the two
music conditions.
5. To determine whether there is a significant difference in cognitive performance between the slow
tempo music condition and the fast tempo music condition.
explores the impact of minimum wage policies on employment rates in a
specific industry.
Research Question: "What is the effect of increases in minimum wage on employment rates in the fast-food
industry?"

Research Objectives:

1. To analyze historical trends in minimum wage changes and employment rates in the fast-food industry over
the past decade.
2. To quantify the magnitude of minimum wage increases in relevant jurisdictions (e.g., states or cities) during
the study period.
3. To examine the relationship between changes in minimum wage and employment levels in fast-food
establishments within the specified jurisdictions.
4. To identify any potential differences in employment effects based on the size of fast-food businesses (e.g.,
small versus large chains).
5. To assess the impact of minimum wage changes on other economic indicators such as wages, prices, and
business profitability within the fast-food industry.
6. To explore potential mechanisms through which minimum wage increases may affect employment
outcomes, such as labor substitution, productivity changes, or demand shifts.
the influence of social media marketing on box office success for
movies
Research Question: "What is the impact of social media marketing strategies on the box office performance of
Hollywood/bollywood movies?"

Research Objectives:

1. To identify the types of social media marketing strategies commonly employed by Hollywood studios to
promote their movies.
2. To assess the reach and engagement metrics (e.g., likes, shares, comments) of movie-related content on
various social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) leading up to the release date.
3. To analyze the correlation between social media engagement levels and box office revenue for a sample of
recent Hollywood movie releases.
4. To examine the effectiveness of specific social media marketing tactics (e.g., teaser trailers, behind-the-
scenes footage, influencer partnerships) in driving audience interest and ticket sales.
5. To explore potential moderating factors that may influence the relationship between social media activity
and box office success, such as genre, budget, star power, and release timing.
6. To investigate audience perceptions and attitudes towards movies based on their exposure to social media
marketing campaigns, using surveys or focus groups.
examines the impact of the printing press on intellectual and cultural
developments during the Renaissance period in Europe.
Research Question: "How did the invention and widespread adoption of the printing press influence intellectual
and cultural transformations during the Renaissance in Europe?"

Research Objectives:

1. To explore the historical context and circumstances surrounding the invention of the printing press by
Johannes Gutenberg in the mid-15th century.
2. To examine the dissemination of knowledge and ideas facilitated by the printing press, including the
production and distribution of printed books, pamphlets, and other printed materials.
3. To analyze the role of the printing press in fostering the spread of humanist thought, scientific discoveries,
religious reform movements, and political ideologies during the Renaissance.
4. To assess the impact of increased access to printed texts on literacy rates, education systems, and the
formation of intellectual communities across Europe.
5. To investigate the relationship between the printing press and cultural production, including the rise of
vernacular literature, the standardization of language, and the democratization of knowledge.
6. To explore the challenges and controversies associated with the printing press, such as censorship,
propaganda, and the proliferation of misinformation.
Thank you