Ethics in Research

The following resources from ASHA, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other sources provide information on ethical guidelines, human subject protection, the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process, fostering diverse and harassment-free research environments, and more.

ASHA Resources on Research Ethics

ASHA Code of Ethics (2016)

ASHA Board of Ethics Issue Statement: Ethics in Research and Scholarly Activity (2018)

JSLHR Research Integrity Supplement (2011)
A supplement to the February 2011 issue of the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research (JSLHR), which focuses on (a) the responsibility of scientists and institutions to establish and uphold ethical standards and practices in the conduct of research and (b) the necessity for education about the responsible conduct of research.

Research Integrity in Communication Sciences and Disorders: Preface, by S. E. Moss
Ethics I: Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)—Historical and Contemporary Issues Pertaining to Human and Animal Experimentation, by J. Horner and F. D. Minifie
Ethics II: Mentoring, Collaboration, Peer Review, and Data Management and Ownership, by J. Horner and F. D. Minifie
Ethics III: Publication Practices and Authorship, Conflicts of Interest, and Research Misconduct, by J. Horner and F. D. Minifie
Ethical Principles Associated With the Publication of Research in ASHA's Scholarly Journals: Importance and Adequacy of Coverage, by J. Ingham et al.
Responsible Conduct of Research in Communication Sciences and Disorders: Faculty and Student Perceptions, by F. D. Minifie et al.

Ethical Issues and Responsible Conduct of Research Resources
This collection contains resources from ASHA's Clinical Research Education (CREd) Library, including several presentations from ASHA's Lessons for Success program.

Research Integrity in the Lab
This Context blog post by Lisa Goffman explores three scenarios that are central to the integrity of labs in our discipline.

Publication Ethics

ASHA Journals Author Resource Center: Authorship and Publication Ethics
Find guidance from the ASHA Journals Academy.
Peer Review Excellence Program (PREP) Development Module 4: Publication Ethics
Learn about peer review ethics, such as confidentiality, conflict of interest, and identifying plagiarism and scientific misconduct.

Protection of Human Subjects

The following resources form the bases for human subjects protection:

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Extramural Research (OER), Human Subjects Research
This site describes NIH policies, regulations, training, and resources related to research with human subjects, including the following:

Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP)
This site outlines HHS regulations, guidance, and educational resources related to human research protections, including the following:

Guidance on informed consent and vulnerable populations
Online education

Mini-tutorials and videos
Human Research Protection Training, a free online training that provides a completion certificate

International Research Standards

Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Research Integrity (ORI)
This site describes HHS policies, regulations, programs, and resources related to responsible conduct of research, including the following that specifically address human subjects research:

Chapter 3: The Protection of Human Subjects from the ORI publication, Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research
The Research Clinic, an interactive video on avoiding research misconduct that is meant specifically for clinical and social researchers
Resources on human subjects research, a listing of helpful resources from the ORI website

National Science Foundation, Policy Office, Human Subjects Research
This site details NSF policies, frequently asked questions, and vignettes related to human subjects research.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Clinical Trials and Human Subject Protection
This site describes FDA clinical trial regulations and related guidance.

World Health Organization (WHO) Ensuring Ethical Standards and Procedures for Research with Human Beings
This site contains WHO guidelines and news related to research ethics.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Research Environments

Prohibitions Against Discrimination Under ASHA's Code of Ethics and Enforcement by the Board of Ethics
This ASHA webpage highlights code provisions relevant to prohibiting discrimination, including discrimination in research.

Fostering a Culture of Responsibility in Your Lab, a presentation by Cara Stepp and Will Hula from ASHA's Lessons for Success program that discusses how to address bias, sexual harassment, and data management vulnerabilities in your lab.

Bias in Grant Review by Sudha Arunachalam
This presentation, from ASHA’s Grant Review and Reviewer Training Program, discusses racial disparities in funding, implicit bias, and how to be an anti-racist reviewer

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

NIH Scientific Workforce Diversity Office
Discover the science of diversity, evidence of gaps, sociocultural factors that hinder diversity, strategies for sustaining diversity, and more, including an Implicit Bias Training Module.
NIH Diversity in Extramural Programs. Learn about the importance of diversity in research and how to build participation
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) Building a Diverse Scientific Workforce. Learn about NIDCD training and funding opportunities intended to promote diversity and meet the NIDCD diversity scholars.

Sexual Harassment in Research Environments

Sexual Harassment in Academic Science, Engineering, and Medicine
This webpage by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine shares a study report and related videos and infographics.

National Science Foundation (NSF) Stop Harassment
This webpage spells out NSF policies on harassment and provides suggestions for promising practices.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Supporting a Safe and Respectful Workplace at Institutions that Receive NIH Funding
This webpage stipulates NIH’s policies on harassment and offers resources to evaluate your workplace climate.