itsual Research Ethics
Overview
Ethical research respects people as ends, not only as data sources. Consent, privacy, and truthful reporting are non-negotiable foundations of credible work.
When to Use
- Any study involving human participants
- Research with vulnerable populations or sensitive topics
- Data retention and sharing decisions
- Publication and stakeholder reporting
Core Practices
- Obtain informed consent appropriate to the method and risk
- Minimize data collected to what the questions require
- Anonymize or pseudonymize in analysis and reporting where appropriate
- Allow withdrawal without penalty
- Avoid deceptive designs unless strictly justified and debriefed
- Report methods and limitations honestly
Principles
- Legal compliance is necessary but not sufficient for ethics
- Power imbalances (researcher vs participant) require care
- “Public” data can still raise ethical issues in reuse
- Fabrication, selective omission, and p-hacking destroy trust
Verification
- Consent and data-handling plans are explicit
- Risk to participants has been considered and mitigated
- Reporting does not misrepresent uncertainty or methods