Understanding the Rhetoric of Research

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Ethical considerations in publishing and presenting research findings are not separate from ethics in research. Ethics must be taken into account when planning, conducting, and reporting research because unethical conduct can damage not only the research, but also the people involved in the research. Unethical conduct can also damage the overall reputation of research and the academy in the general public's view. Ethical considerations range from minor deception, as a way of gathering information, to more serious levels of intentional or unintentional involvement in research scenarios that can lead to a variety of illegal, possibly dangerous activity.

Researchers face a myriad of ethical issues when they consider the presentation of research. Some of these are how much to include in reports, how to accurately represent studies and participants, how audience concerns (including urges to protect participants) affect results, and how reports will affect participants, researchers, institutions connected to participants, and institutions sponsoring studies.

To read more about these issues, click on the items below:

• Ethical Codes to Follow
• The Honor System
• The Researcher's Influence on Study Participants
• Use of Your Results and Plagiarism
• Final Thoughts on Ethics