Principles of Research Ethics

Ethical principles are crucial to be taken into account in scientific research processes. It can be viewed as not only a way of thinking, but even a lifestyle as a whole, in order to ensure that sound decisions are made when conducting health research. Given the rapid development of health systems and the quality of health care, it is important to protect individuals and society from possible risks of harm while the research is being conducted. This can be prevented through ensuring beneficiary satisfaction and service progress, aiming towards obtaining the maximum degree of benefits with minimal waste, as implied by the Islamic principles and ethics.

The following matters must be taken into account while conducting scientific research: commitment to scientific honesty, compliance with intellectual property rights, and non-violation of established rules and traditions in this field, such as mentioning references accurately. The researcher should take into account the ethical and humanitarian aspect of research conducted upon human beings, animals and the environment. They should maintain the confidentiality of information about the identity of the subjects of the research, and remain objective in their analysis by detaching themselves from any personal considerations when evaluating research for publication. Scientific evidence should be presented in order to reach the correct results. The research topic should be creative and appropriate to the researcher’s specialization, aiming to explore new scientific facts. On the other hand, the researcher should be intellectually humble and receptive to the reviewers’ criticism, and they should avoid taking any notes personally as this would hinder the systematic progress of work. One of the basic features that the researcher should have is patience so as to be able to face the difficulties found throughout the research process. Finally, it is necessary that researchers avoid using scientific research for non-scientific purposes such as personal propaganda or courtesy.

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