Ethics in Research: Values for Responsible Conduct of Research

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15-Hour Live Stream or On-Site

This course is being offered on an as-requested basis. Please join the wait list or if you have more than 10 who need training we can provide on-site delivery and course customization details.

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Course Fee

$2150.00 Regular Registration

$1950.00 Early Bird Pricing (Register 30 Days in Advance)

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Ethics in Research Course Description

This 15-hour course addresses ethics and the responsible conduct of research. It goes beyond merely checking the box on compliance training by providing participants with concepts and vocabulary relevant to the ethical challenges expected in any type of research. Participants build skills to identify and address dilemmas that arise in their work.


The course is guided by three claims:


  1. Ethics is an everyday phenomenon: Ethics is simply part of doing our jobs and living our lives. The need to apply ethical thinking and moral reasoning is not a sign that something has gone wrong.
  2. Science is a profession: Although the practice of research is not regulated the way that law, medicine, and accounting are, scientific research comes with standards. Those standards are relevant both in “pure,” academic research and in industry research. 
  3. Companies can lower their risk of ethical liability: Organizations whose researchers have the skills and confidence to discuss ethical challenges that arise in their work are less likely to face problems that result from unethical choices, and are better prepared to address adverse events when they do happen.



The course begins with an overview of moral reasoning. It presents a specific technique for approaching ethics in any situation. This approach focuses on the following sequence: facts, values, dilemmas, issues, argument. After some practice, participants learn to apply this approach to the areas of responsible conduct of research identified by the federal Office of Research Integrity. Special emphasis will be placed on ethics of research with human subjects.


Each topic is introduced using concepts from philosophy combined with practical examples. Group and individual exercises provide practice for application of concepts and techniques.

Who Should Attend Our Research Ethics Training Course?

This course is intended for personnel designing, conducting, or supervising research activities. It will be especially valuable for those who are responsible for creating a workplace culture that promotes pro-active ethical action, and who may be held accountable when things do not go well with research and testing of new products.

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  • Learning Objectives

    By the end of the course participants will be able to: 

    • describe ethical challenges common in research,
    • name key areas in the responsible conduct of research, with their related values and dilemmas,
    • explain and apply the principles guiding ethics oversight for human subjects research and animal research, and
    • use skills of critical reasoning combined with bioethical theory to identify, analyze, and respond to ethical dilemmas in research-related and other settings.

  • Agenda

    Learn what to expect from our ethical research practices course.


    Section 1: Welcome

    • General overview
    • Doing science well as a key component in the ethics of research

    Section 2: Introduction to Moral Reasoning

    Moral questions versus practical questions

    • Values
    • Dilemmas
    • Issue questions
    • Reasoning
    1. Arguments
    2. Loopholes
    3. Fallacies

    Section 3: Use and Care of Laboratory Animals 

    We'll cover the basic principles and values of animal use in laboratories.

    • Replacement
    • Reduction
    • Refinement
    • Other principles and values

    Section 4: Conflicts of Interest

    Our research integrity training program addresses conflicts of interest in many scenarios.

    Primary and secondary interests

    • Science in business contexts

    Section 5: Data Management Practices

    We cover data management protocols, from acquisition and collection to management and storage. 


    Data acquisition and collection

    • Data management and storage

    Section 6: Research Misconduct

    Our scientific misconduct prevention training covers:

    Fabrication

    • Falsification
    • Data trimming and experimental error
    • Plagiarism

    Section 7: Relevant Topics in Philosophy of Science

    Our conversations will cover various topics, from scientific hypotheses to falsifiability.

    Hypotheses and falsifiability

    • Evidence, theories, and underdetermination

    Section 8: Protection of Human Subjects of Research

    During our responsible conduct of research workshop, we'll review the following:

    • Respect for people: We define informed consent and discuss the protection that's required when researching vulnerable populations. 
    • Beneficence: Our course covers various research benefits and the importance of explaining them to involved subjects.
    • Justice: Our training highlights the importance of community engagement in various scenarios.

    Section 9: Mentor and Trainee Responsibilities

    We cover the responsibilities of fostering an ethical, transparent and supportive environment. 


    Section 10: Collaborative Research

    This course emphasizes the importance of cooperative approaches while working with researchers from different disciplines or institutions. 


    Section 11: Authorship, Internal and for Publication

    Our program explains the basics of authorship requirements and how to navigate authorship issues across scenarios.

    • Who is an author?
    • Authorship issues

    Section 12: Peer Review

    At the end of this course, attendees will know how to ensure the quality, validity and integrity of scholarly work. 


    Resources and Recommended Reading

    • Regulatory guidance documents
    • Articles and books
    • Online training and videos

Related Courses

We stay current with the latest guidelines set by various industry leaders, from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS). Learn more from the following:

Registrant Information:

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