Code of research ethics

Ross Woods, 2020

This code of ethics was formulated for research before the U.S. IRB laws were written. Some of it is still relevant.

  1. XYZ University encourages applied research that has the potential to demonstrably benefit the organizations of its students.
  2. XYZ University limits research topics to those that are within its range of available primary sources. This means that students must:
    1. work within the range of expertise of XYZ University supervisors, and
    2. give priority to context-based research where they gather substantial new data through fieldwork.
  3. XYZ University recognizes that students doing literature reviews may need to travel to suitable libraries and have access to restricted-admission Internet libraries.
  4. External students will be permitted to do research that is primarily documentary analysis only if they can show that they have access to suitable research libraries.
  5. XYZ University recognizes that research with human subjects normally involves ethical responsibilities. However, no set of ethical guidelines can anticipate all situations that researchers might face, and in some situations no alternative is ideal.
  6. Proposals for research shall include a proposal of an ethical approach if:
    1. the research is conducted within organizations
    2. the research has human or animal subjects
    3. the outcome may embarrass individuals or organizations
    4. if it may result in hardship to research subjects or others.
  7. As part of the approval of the research proposal, students are required to get permission for the ethical approach.
  8. Researchers should avoid topics involving serious foreseeable ethical difficulties.
  9. Regarding the principle of informed consent, written consent is entirely inappropriate in some cultures. For XYZ University purposes, researchers shall at least be required to:
    1. explain what he/she is attempting
    2. gain the subject’s oral approval without pressure or manipulation
    3. make a written, contemporaneous record of the approval.
  10. The XYZ University faculty shall adjudicate on ethical issues.
  11. Students shall be required to follow the Code of Ethics of the FGH professional Association (www.FGHwebsite.net.)