PHIL 7570
CASE STUDIES IN RESEARCH ETHICS
Spring Schedule
The collection and managements of data are at the heart of scientific research. In fact, most cases of reserach misconduct have to do with questionable practices in the recording and keeping data. This session will focus on issues relating to proper record keeping, privacy and confidentiality of data, ownership of data, and the sharing of data, all with the aim of showing the importance of preserving the integrity of the research record.
Assigned Readings:
- ORI Text: Chapter 6 (pp. 87-101) available for free download at ORI.
- Article: What's in a Picture? The Temptation of Image Manipulation. (PDF) By Mike Rossner and Kenneth M. Yamada. Journal of Cell Biology, 166 (1), July 5, 2004; 11-15.
Other Articles and Links
Datacleaning: Detecting, Diagnosing, and Editing Data Abnormalities. (PDF) By Van den Broeck, Cunningham, Eeckels, and Herbst. Public Library of Science, August 2005.
Impact of Ethics on Research. By Frederick Grinnell. The Chronicle of Higher Education, October 4, 2002. Article on the uses and dangers of enforcing integrity in science due to the ambiguity in the practice of science. See also Grinnell's other piece Practice of Science at the Edge of Knowledge, from The Chronicle of Higher Education, March 24, 2000.
Bias in the Interpretation and Use of Research Results. Robert J. MacCoun, Annu. Rev. Psychol. 1998. 49:259-87. An interesting paper on the types of cognitive and social biases that influence data interpretation, and on advice for how to avoid or manage data interpretation.
The Ethics of Collecting and Processing Data and Publishing Results of Scientific Research. Michael D. Mann, PhD at teh University of Nebraska medical Center discusses unethical behavior in science and stresses the importance of learning proper conduct while students. Includes links to two online papers of interest:
Prof. Chien's Lecture on the Ethics of Data Management (pdf)