Research, Education and Ethics

Science without ethics is science without value.

If scientists are unable to trust the research results published by their peers, scientific progress will grind to a halt.

It was the misdemeanours of a professor of genetics that grabbed the headlines in 2005.

But the real worry is that research dishonesty and plagiarism will become endemic in student research, thanks to the massive amounts of information accessible over the internet.

“The tragedy of the commons” is that once the cheats are seen to achieve academic success, their honest peers will be tempted to imitate them, in order to survive.

Here are three proposals, to help prevent unethical research practices becoming the norm.

1. Ethics on the curriculum. Traditionally good ethical practice has been considered as part of the hidden curriculum; a learned value picked up by students being exposed to the good ethical practices of their tutors. With the expansion in higher education, this diffusion model is no longer valid. Professional ethics should be part of the written syllabus for all higher education courses designed to prepare students for professional life.
2. Ethics and project work. A copy of a code of ethical practice should be attached to all project reports submitted for assessment. This should be signed twice by the student; at the beginning of the project, to indicate their commitment, to carry out their work in an ethical manner. Then signed off at the end, to confirm they have acted ethically.
3. Ethics and degree awards. Degree certificates should include a statement similar to the following,
4. “The University of …………. Awards this degree, trusting (name of graduate) to use the knowledge and skills you have gained, in an ethical manner, for the good of humanity. The University reserves the right to withdraw this degree award, if there is clear proof you have used your learning in an unethical manner.

These proposals will not stamp out unethical practices overnight. But in the long term, as some of the graduates go on to become school teachers and many become parents, good ethical practices will become embedded in society’s values.

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