Research ethics (2 op)

Arviointiasteikko

H-5

Tavoitteet

At the completion of this course the doctoral researcher is able to:
1. recognise and analyse key research ethical questions
2. formulate ethical research plans and responses to ethical challenges by applying key ethical theories and approaches
3. recognise and understand key ethical principles guiding research and how they apply to research work
4. understand the Finnish Responsible Conduct of Research guidelines, processes for dealing with research misconduct, and processes for applying research license or ethical review
5. identify rights and responsibilities as a researcher
6. understand how ethical decisions and choices influence society and research community.

Toteutustavat

● The course will be taught online (http://www.findocnet.fi /). Please note that this is a national doctoral Moodle site and you can login with your HAKA login details.
● Your Moodle course code is RE221 and your enrollment key is RE221_FI or RE221_EN depending on your language preference.
● The enrollment key is personal and should not be shared with students not enrolled on the course. The course platform will be available a week before the formal course start date.
● Moodle materials are available in English and Finnish and most assessment tasks can be completed in either English of Finnish, with the exception of assessment 3, which is completed in English.

Most of the course is self-directed and allows for great flexibility with when and where it is done. However, assessments have strict deadlines as outlined above.

Group 1 (1 ECTS credit)
Course range: The course runs over four weeks online.

1ETCS course comprises of 28 hours of independent online work.

Group 2 (2 ECTS credits)
Course range:The course runs over 4 weeks.

2 ECTS course comprises 46 hours of independent study and 8 hours of workshops with compulsory attendance.

For 2 ECTS course credits, you must attend both workshops 1 and 2. Workshops are held online (link sent to you at the start of the course). Both workshops are offered three times and you can choose which one you wish to attend for each workshop.

Suoritustavat

The course is assessed as Pass / Fail. The course completion requires:
• active engagement with the course material,
• completing compulsory assessment tasks detailed above.

The course evaluation is based on adequately achieving learning outcomes as evidenced in the assessment tasks.

Assessment 1 - Ethical issues and challenges in my own research
Write a description of ethical issues that have emerged or may emerge in your own research, and reflect on their implications for your research.

For example, you may reflect on how the ethical issues could influence the research plan or the way the research is carried out. Whom does the ethical issues concern? In what stages of your research do you need to address these ethical issues? How do you plan/ how have you solved the ethical issues? Could there be alternative ways to handle the ethical issues?

The length of the paper is approx. 1-2 pages, depending on the group. This assessment can be submitted in English or Finnish.

Assessment 2 - Peer Review
You will receive a description of ethical challenges by two of your fellow students. The Moodle system will treat you anonymously – you will not be told whose work you are reading and you as the commentator will also remain anonymous. If you are happy to share who you are, you are welcome to include your name in your submissions.

You are asked to comment and reflect on the following aspects: have ethical challenges been recognised well considering the research context? Can you think of additional research ethical issues that have not been recognised in this submission? Would you find ways to improve it? Or challenges that have not yet been recognised? Include any examples you are aware of how other people have approach similar challenges in the past (maybe your own research experience).

The purpose of commenting and reflecting is to support each other to create ethically strong research. Consider carefully what you write and think of yourself as the constructive you yourself would like to have.

The Peer Review should be approximately 1 page. This assessment can be submitted in English or Finnish.

Assessment 3 - Discussion board group activity on ethical issues
This is a compulsory group activity for the course. You will be allocated into groups of 4–6 students. The discussions boards are held in English.

Each member of the group will post a challenge (by starting a new discussion) related to potential (or experienced) risk of misconduct (fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or misappropriation). Explain the potential with enough details that people not working in your field can understand the risk. You are also expected to propose a way of either reducing the risk or dealing with the outcome of misconduct.

After posting your challenge, you are expected to respond to at least two challenges posted by your group members. The response should be a thoughtful insight into the challenge and provide suggestions on how to best manage the risk of misconduct.

Assessment 4 - Reflection and solutions to ethical issues

For this assignment you are asked to submit an essay on ethical challenges in your research and reasoned solutions to them (group 1 with 2 ECTS credits: 3–4 pages, group 2 with 1 ECTS credit: 2 pages). You are expected to:
- make use of the assignment you submitted for assessment 1 and the peer reviews you received. Please indicate how your thinking has changed during the course and what impact (if any) the peer reviews had on your perception of the challenges and/or solutions to them
- show evidence that you can broadly recognise ethical challenges around your research work
- show evidence that you are aware of key ethical principles in research and are able to apply them to your own research work
- show evidence that you are aware of the key responsibilities for researchers as
identified in Finnish Guidelines on Responsible Conduct of Research in your research work.

This assessment can be submitted in English or Finnish.

Assessment 5
Quizzes associated with each topic are compulsory. You can attempt each quiz 3 times. If the quiz requires a password, it is ‘ethics’. You are expected to study the material before attempting the quiz.

Sisältö

This is a national online course on research ethics, taught online. You can take either 1 study credit or 2 study credits. The 2-credit workload comprises 46 hours of independent study and 8 hours of workshops with compulsory attendance. 1 ETCS course comprises of 28 hours of independent online work.

Opetusmenetelmät

For 2ECTS course credits, you must attend both ONLINE workshops 1 AND 2. Each workshop is offered three times and you can choose the workshop that suits you best:
Workshop 1:
● Thu 3.10. 8-12 ENG
● Fri 4.10. 8-12 FI
● Mon 7.10. 13-17 ENG
Workshop 2:
● Mon 21.10. 8-12 ENG
● Tue 22.10. 8-12 FI
● Wed 23.10. 13-17 ENG

Arviointikriteeri, hyväksytty/hylätty

Pass/fail

Esitietovaatimukset

Doctoral researchers. Recommended for first or second year of study.