New guidelines push for ethical reflection in research reporting

A new study highlights key challenges and tensions in research ethics, particularly in light of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, and calls for the adoption of new research ethics policies.

“Research ethics isn’t just about how we treat human and animal subjects or ensuring data accuracy—it also includes considering the wider impact that research might have on society,” said lead author Associate Professor Simon Knight from the University of Technology Sydney.

“For example, advances in facial recognition technology raise ethical concerns around its possible use in surveillance or applications in the military or in other products, as well as discrimination due to biases in the technology,” he said.

The study, “Emerging technologies and research ethics: Developing editorial policy using a scoping review and reference panel,” was recently published in the journal PLOS ONE.

It was written by a team of international researchers with experience as editors-in-chief of educational technology journals, including the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, British Journal of Educational Technology and Journal of Learning Analytics.

Drawing on existing research ethics publication policies, the researchers developed new policies for the expression of research ethics in scholarly articles across disciplines, with the aim of fostering learning and discussion of ethical issues.

“Academic journal articles are a primary means of communication with other researchers, policymakers, practitioners and the public. For people to understand the values operating in our research, we need to communicate them,” said Associate Professor Knight.

A failure to address ethical issues that arise from academic research can lead to diminished public trust in science, decreased funding for research, and a reluctance to adopt new technologies or medical treatments.

“These policy templates and guidelines are provided for authors, reviewers and editors to adapt or adopt into their own communities. They are intended to support learning and sharing of knowledge within and across research communities and stakeholders.”

The study included a scoping review of current innovation in publication policy for research ethics, and how such policies are taken up by journals and authors. Innovative policies include adding new guidance for reviewers and introducing a new role of “ethics reviewer.”

The review suggests around half of all academic journals lack explicit ethics reporting requirements, and even for those with clear policies, it is often a compliance-driven “box-ticking exercise” rather than a genuine examination of ethical concerns.

“We need to shift from compliance-based ethics to fostering ethical norms and practices and do this without introducing barriers to publication or increasing overheads. We also need to address both current and future research ethics challenges,” said Associate Professor Knight.

Academic journals and editors play a crucial role in the promotion of ethical practices, and in maintaining the integrity of research. By encouraging the consideration of ethical issues, they contribute to the advancement of knowledge that is both trustworthy and socially responsible.