Ethics for making a difference

What is it about?

Most of us are familiar with the importance of research ethics. Still, nobody typically checks the ethics of our engagement practices or impact plans, and there is very little training, support or advice available to researchers. Considering how much can go wrong, especially when engaging with vulnerable groups or trying to affect change on contentious issues, this is a big problem. Our paper attempts to address this gap by reviewing all the advice currently available and constructing a set of principles with practical actions that researchers and their institutions can take to improve engagement and impact.

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Why is it important?

The authors propose a new framework to improve ethical practices aimed at benefiting society. This framework is designed to help researchers and the institutions that support them think through potential ethical problems in their efforts to create positive change. It also offers practical recommendations for policymakers, research ethics boards, and individual researchers.