Ethical issues have a long history in the process of PhD thesis research, but they also frequently evolve through time and differ among contemporary scholarly disciplines. Research methods that were deemed acceptable a century ago may now be viewed as outdated , and routine techniques in one type of research may surprise or even horrify researchers in other fields. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the principles and criteria that govern the ethical norms in your particular study field at your institution. Among the publishers, you submit your writing for consideration when pondering how to avoid ethical concerns in research.
What Ethical Issues You Must Avoid While Conducting PhD Thesis Research?
The ethical issues you will face while conducting your PhD thesis will arise from the non-compliance with the following rules:
- Honesty and integrity in research methods and publications
- Non-discrimination and objectivity in research practices
- Careful practices in all aspects of research
- Respect for the work of other researchers & acknowledgement of their intellectual property
- Sincerity and equity to fellow researchers in collaborative research projects
- Care and concern for the objects and subjects studied
- Submission of research-based writing to one journal at a time
Let’s discuss these ethical issues in detail.
Honesty and Integrity in Research Methods Publications
Being honest and integral in research methods publications is one of the are fundamental ideas in any PhD thesis research process on how to steer clear of moral dilemmas when conducting research. Research findings should never be made up, falsified, trimmed, cooked, cherry-picked, or misrepresented. In addition to misleading researchers and other readers, doing so undermines the fundamental goal of scientific and academic research, which is to discover the truth and advance knowledge.
It also wastes time and resources that could have been used more effectively, and in some fields, it may even be harmful and put lives in danger. Such intentional research fraud is considered research misconduct, one of the fatal ethical issues. It carries severe professional repercussions, including the need to withdraw previously published work and lose credibility, employment, and research funding.
Non-Discrimination and Objectivity In Research Practices
Although every academic or scientist has a distinct viewpoint crucial to their original research, each study should be tailored specifically to solve the research issue or problem rather than according to personal prejudices. The objects, animals, or persons researched should be chosen based on practical and theoretical study requirements rather than making biased decisions. Results should be analysed and interpreted with as much objectivity as possible. A key component of avoiding ethical issues in research is to justify and explain any judgements or thoughts that may appear discriminatory to reviewers or readers.
Careful Practices In All Aspects Of Research
Research initiatives should be carefully planned to provide answers to the issues raised or find solutions. The design and execution of a study ought to take ethical issues seriously. All experiments, observations, and other procedures should be carefully conducted. You can also hire PhD thesis help to assist you in the thesis writing process.
From initial notes to final data, accurate and detailed records should always be kept, with the latter being securely saved for efficient data exchange with other researchers and study verification if any concerns regarding the methods should surface. Clear and organised records are crucial when pondering how to avoid ethical issues in research, as are clear and well-written publications.
Respect For the Work Of Other Researchers & Acknowledgement of Their Intellectual Property
It implies that all contributions to a research effort should be acknowledged appropriately, and published materials should be cited and referenced. Plagiarism is taking text, images, data, ideas, and other components of research conducted and published by other investigators and passing them off as your own. Professional researchers who are concerned about avoiding ethical problems in research never steal the intellectual property of others.
Sincerity And Equity to Fellow Researchers in Collaborative Research Projects
When deciding how to avoid ethical issues in the research conducted with other academics or scientists, including students, postdoctoral researchers, and assistants, this pointis crucial because collaboration is based on mutual respect, an appropriate division of responsibilities and credit.
Fairness in job allocation, consideration of opinions and interpretations, and authorship attribution are all necessary for collaborative success. Significant contributions to study design, data collecting and analysis, or drafting, revising and editing materials for distribution are required to get an authorship rank. Authorship should not be claimed for contributions; they should be acknowledged.
Care And Concern for The Objects And Subjects Studied
Your institutional review board or research ethics committee will likely need to approve any study involving animals or human subjects. You may also need to change the study’s design to address ethical concerns. You must give any animals you use for research the best care possible and take every precaution to keep them as comfortable as possible. Additionally, you must obtain the proper informed consent from any human participants whose choices and autonomy must be respected and whose rights, dignity, and privacy must be protected.
A Roman ruin, a mediaeval manuscript, or a renaissance picture will all demand the utmost care and should only be handled by someone who has been properly trained to do so without causing injury. This basic principle of causing no harm also applies to studying objects.
Submission Of Research-Based Writing To one Journal at a time
It is extremely uncommon for academic and scientific publications to accept manuscript submissions that other publishers are also examining because a significant amount of time and effort is involved in editing and peer review. A manuscript should only be submitted to another publisher if the first one rejects it. On the other hand, if the paper is accepted and eventually published, it shall never again be submitted for publication elsewhere without the publisher’s express consent.
Duplicate publications are a selfish waste of valuable publication space that could have been utilised to present new research because the goal of scholarly publication is to share new research and increase knowledge, not just boost individual careers. Understanding a publisher’s rules and regulations will help you address ethical issues, including reporting any conflicts of interest and avoiding multiple submissions and duplicate publications.
Conclusion:
While conducting research for PhD thesis, you must avoid these ethical issues; otherwise, it will leave a bad impact on your work. The major ethical concerns mentioned in the article must be avoided at all costs.
Read: Guidelines for Writing a Dissertation Abstract at PhD Level
