GRSC6009 Research Ethics for Graduate Students

Content

The Singapore Statement on Research Integrity reminds researchers that, the value and benefits of research are vitally dependent on the integrity of the research. To ensure the trustworthiness of research, researchers should abide by principles of honesty, accountability, professional courtesy and fairness, and good stewardship in the conduct and publication of their work. The purpose of this course is to reinforce the importance that University of Hong Kong places on the preservation of these values in all research conducted at the university.

Through this course, students will learn essential vocabulary, principles, and practices conducive to the promotion of research integrity in general and in their distinct disciplines. Students can expect to encounter terminology, texts, and tenets that relate to good conduct in the teaching and research professions. Approaches to these topics will vary according to the sub-class offered. Sub-classes are arranged to reflect the division of Faculties at HKU.

Organization
Each offering of the module comprises twelve hours (six 2-hour lessons). The class will include a brief lecture, offered in conjunction between the course convenor, and an in-class, case-based discussion.

Enrollment
This course is compulsory for all MPhil and 4-year PhD students registered in or after September 2009. 3-year PhD students registered on September 1, 2011 and thereafter are also required to take the course IF they have not yet completed equivalent training in previous research degree programmes. Please click here for the notification on the coursework on GRSC6009. There is no assumption that students will be familiar with ethical concepts or standards of ethical research conduct prior to their enrollment.

Please note that the course is divided into 5 subclasses specifically developed for students in different disciplines. Students are required to select the subclass in accordance to their Faculties. Please refer to the course description below for further details:

(1) Biomedical Sciences (i.e. Students enrolled in the Faculties of Medicine and Dentistry)
This course covers the international standards of ethical research as applied to the conduct of clinical research (i.e., pharmaceutical and medical device trials, epidemiological studies, and the concepts of good clinical practice and clinical equipoise).

(2) Science (i.e. Students enrolled in the Faculty of Science)
This course covers the international standards of ethical research as applied to the conduct of basic science research in a laboratory setting. This course reviews the standards of good laboratory practice and laboratory safety from the perspective of an ethical commitment. This course also reviews the standards of scientific research misconduct in the laboratory setting.

(3) Engineering (i.e. Students enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering)
This course covers topics such as international standards for good engineering practice, laboratory safety, human subjects research protections, conflicts of interest and good scientific conduct. Students of education interested in issues of engineering and technology education may also find this course useful.

(4) Social Sciences, Education, Law and Business (i.e. Students enrolled in the Faculties of Business & Economics, Education, Law and Social Sciences)
This course covers the international standards associated with the conduct of human subjects research, with a particular focus on survey, ethnographic, archival, and qualitative research. Topics also covered include issues of authorship, mentoring, and other topics associated with the ethics of professionalism for university professors.

(5) Arts and Architecture (i.e. Students enrolled in the Faculties of Arts and Architecture)
This course covers major texts, tenets, and topics pertinent to conducting ethical research in the creative academic disciplines, such as arts, humanities and architectures.

For any students who would like to enroll in a subclass not in accordance to their Faculties, please download the form here and submit the duly completed form to Graduate School for approval. The form has to reach the Graduate School office latest by 2 weeks after the start of the semester i.e. September 15, 2011.

Please note the subclasses arrangements for the academic year 2011-12 as below:

• (Offered in Semester 1 only) GRSC6009A Faculties of Business & Economics, Education, Law and Social Sciences
• (Offered in Semester 1 only) GRSC6009B Faculties of Architecture & Arts
• (Offered in Semester 1 and 2) GRSC6009C/D Faculties of Medicine and Dentistry
• (Offered in Semester 2 only) GRSC6009E Faculty of Engineering
• (Offered in Semester 2 only) GRSC6009F Faculty of Science

Assessment
Students must complete the following assignments to pass the course: 1) web-based learning modules, 2) pass the examination, and 3) attend at least 4 of 6 possible lectures.

Outcome
By the end of this course, students should have the following knowledge and competencies:

General:
- The ability to summarize the values of research integrity.
- The ability to interpret general principles of responsible conduct of research and apply these principles to their own research.
- The ability to discriminate instances of research misconduct from questionable research practices.

Specific:
- The ability to scrutinize critically their own research project for risks and benefits to wider society, their institution, and themselves.
- The ability to recognize instances where their own research ought to be subject to review by relevant institutional research ethics review boards (e.g., Institutional Review Board, Committee for the Use of Live Animals in Teaching and Research).
- The ability to explain the obligations of ethical authorship and publication practice.
- The ability to differentiate a conflict of interests and a conflict of commitments.
- The ability to design an independent plan for ethical use, sharing, storage, and securitization of research materials and data.
- The ability to extend current principles and practices of ethical research in their disciplines to related emerging and innovative fields.