Analysis of UK Science Data Ethics Policy: Structure, Content and Governance Network

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study uses the UK as an example to explore the structure, content and governance network of scientific data ethics policies. Adopting grounded theory (GT) and Social Network Analysis (SNA), Nvivo12 is used to analyze and summarize the structure and content of scientific data ethics policy, and Ucinet and Netdraw are used to map governance network reflected in policy. Results indicate that the structure covers governance context, subject and measure. The content of governance context contains context description and data ethics issues analysis. Governance subject consists of defining subjects and facilitating their collaboration. Governance measure includes governance guidance and ethics governance initiatives in the data lifecycle. Governance network indicates that research institution plays a central role in ethics governance and the core of the governance content are ethics governance initiatives and governance guidance.