Ethical and social issues in research
This is the fifth of the Research Degree Graduate Qualities.
5. is committed to ethical action and social responsibility as a researcher in a discipline or professional area and as a leading citizen.
Introduction
The fifth generic quality involves the development of a commitment to ethical action and social responsibility as a researcher in a discipline or professional area and as a leading citizen. Higher degree by research students should be aware of their ethical requirements within the professional area and practice, and of the ethical demands that arise from new knowledge generated by research in the area. If the thesis should require direct interaction with human subjects, formal ethics approval will be required from the UniSA’s Human Research Ethics Committee (UniSA HREC). Other approvals will be required for research that involves animal experimentation, genetic manipulation, recombinant DNA or biohazards. These approvals safeguard the participants in the research project and ensures that UniSA has taken due account of its duty of care towards its researchers and research subjects.
This ethics approval from UniSA HREC may form one essential component of
the quality but it requires yet more breadth (see UniSA's
Code of
Ethical Conduct). The research proposal should contain a statement
on the ethical aspects of the thesis that goes beyond the professional
requirement of acceptable research procedures relative to human subjects
and considers significant ethical issues that may arise in relation to
the use of the research student’s research and addresses any
social responsibility issues that may impact
upon particular groups in society. This statement will be appraised by
the research proposal
review panel.
Generic indicators
A research degree postgraduate will:
- be aware of ethical obligations to self, family, the research community and society generally
- be aware of ethical dilemmas likely to arise in research and professional practice
- be able to identify issues and social responsibility and sustainability that arise from the implications of new knowledge generated in their research area.