Research ethics involves the application of fundamental ethical principles to a variety of topics involving scientific research. These include the design and implementation of research involving human participants (human experimentation); animal experimentation; various aspects of academic scandal, including scientific misconduct, such as fraud, fabrication (science) of data and plagiarism; whistleblowing; regulation of research (such as regulation of research on stem cells), and more. Ethics is a general term for what is often described as the science (study) of morality. In philosophy, ethical behavior is that which is good or right. ... A scientific method or process is considered fundamental to the scientific investigation and acquisition of new knowledge based upon physical evidence. ... Human experimentation (medical experiments performed on human beings) is an important part of medical research, and many people volunteer for clinical trials of medical treatments. ... This article is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... An academic scandal is one that exposes the unethical or erroneous work of a major academic figure. ... Scientific misconduct is the violation of the standard codes of scholarly conduct and ethical behavior in professional scientific research. ... Plagiarism is a form of academic malpractice specifically referring to the use of anothers information, language, or writing, when done without proper acknowledgment of the original source. ... A whistleblower is someone in an organization who witnesses behavior by members that is either contrary to the mission of the organization, or threatening to the public interest, and who decides to speak out publicly about it. ... Mouse embryonic stem cells. ...

External Resources about Research Ethics

A useful Research Ethics Training Curriculum has been prepared by Family Health International (FHI). It's focus is on human experimentation. The References section includes references to some of the major documents of research ethics, such as the Belmont Report, the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki and the CIOMS 1993 International Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical Research Involving Human Subjects. Human experimentation (medical experiments performed on human beings) is an important part of medical research, and many people volunteer for clinical trials of medical treatments. ...

The Research Ethics section of the SHiPS (Sociology, History and Philosophy of Science) website provides some useful resources, including case studies relevant to scientific misconduct. Scientific misconduct is the violation of the standard codes of scholarly conduct and ethical behavior in professional scientific research. ...