Relevance and Importance of Ethics in Post-Grad Research at South African Universities

Abstract

Ethics in research is a very important consideration that researchers and scientists all over the world should be aware and consciously recognize its importance. Ethics in research did not gloriously appear one day; it advanced and was perfected over time. It took the Nuremberg Code (1951), The Declaration of Helsinki (1964), The Belmont Report (1979), the APA Ethical guidelines (1947, 1953, 2002), and government regulations to assist in setting a guide to research ethics involving key principles to protect respondents. The focal point of ethics in research is to protect the respondents from harm and safeguard their dignity, anonymity, and confidentially. If the test subject is human, plant, or animal, there should be a humane way of handling test subjects. This chapter looks at research ethics and its relevance to post-grad students conducting research at a university. It is pivotal that students are aware of their ethical responsibility towards their test subjects/respondents whilst conducting their study.