Lesson 6: Ethics and Proposal Writing

Research must respect participants and follow laws. Always obtain informed consent: explain the study's purpose and procedures, and get agreement from participants (or guardians, if minors). Ensure confidentiality: protect personal information (for example, the Philippine Data Privacy Act of 2012 requires secure handling of data). If your study involves people, seek approval from an ethics review board (like a university IRB). Avoid harming participants physically, emotionally, or legally. For instance, if asking sensitive questions, allow participants to skip them. Always be honest and transparent about your research.

Be honest and fair throughout your research process. Do not fabricate or falsify data, and never plagiarize others' work. Keep raw data secure and use it only for the stated purpose. If working with collaborators, give proper credit and discuss author order beforehand. If you make a mistake, report it. Avoid conflicts of interest (for example, disclose if a sponsor could benefit from your results). Essentially, do what you say you will do in your research plan, and report results truthfully—even if they don't support your hypothesis.