Report on Moral Reasoning in Scientific Research

Kenneth D. Pimple, Ph.D.

[Note: This report was submitted to the Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) in November of 1996 as part of our final report. FISPE funded the first three years of the Teaching Research Ethics project.]

A summary of the responses (Figure 1) shows that 84.4% of the respondents have used or intend to use the booklet to teach research ethics; only 13.5% responded "No" to this item. Of the 13 who selected "No," 10 included an answer to our question, "Why not?" (All of the written responses can be found below.) Five essentially indicated that they do not teach (or do not teach ethics); two ordered it as a resource for others; two indicated that their planned course was not going to be offered; one said, "I use it for clinical research," and one "I don't remember ever receiving the booklet." In other words, no one indicated they were not using the booklet because it was inappropriate or flawed.

I take this as high praise, but the news gets even better. Fully 62.2% of the respondents indicated that they had, or planned to, use the booklet to assess their students' moral reasoning ability. I expected this number to be much lower. It is relatively easy to use case studies to teach, and although the booklet provides excellent resources for assessment, the latter is more difficult. I anticipated that a larger portion of respondents would not feel it was worth the bother to go through with the formal assessment.

Of the 26 persons who indicated that they had not or would not use the booklet to assess moral reasoning ability, 19 gave a reason when asked "Why not?" Of these, the only substantive reason given for not using the booklet to assess moral reasoning is the following:

We are an undergraduate chemistry faculty teaching scientific ethics to sophomore chemistry majors. The cases (that I've had a chance to peruse) are geared more to graduate level issues and will need some revision for my students to be able to "connect."

Not surprisingly, several respondents wanted cases in their areas of specialization -- namely environmental ethics, biomedical ethics, vision research, behavioral research, and industry. One wanted cases that "go beyond research ethics," and other wanted a case focusing on informed consent.

One respondent each asked for the following additions: a glossary, an index, regulatory and policy material (e.g. federal misconduct provisions), a bibliography on teaching ethics. The bibliography is already available (but we need to indicate in the next edition how to find it), and we are considering adding the others. I do not think it likely that we will add regulations and policies because they change too quickly, there are too many of them, and there are many sources for them.

Among our complimentary comments were the following:

• Very user friendly, a great resource, fine the way it is.
• I found the booklet very useful.
• One of the general areas covered in my course is research. Your booklet has been a valuable adjunct for reference when my class reaches that specific area.
• Thanks for a very helpful resource!
• A good workbook, useful in stimulating discussion after introducing basic moral principles in science.

Written comments

I use it for clinical research.

I don't remember ever receiving the booklet.

I am still considering possible use in a course. The status of the latter is not yet settled.

I do not teach; I represent academic staff, negotiating terms of employment and actions in discipline hearings.

I order it to place in our Teaching/Learning Center for faculty use.

Don't have and don't anticipate having the direct responsibility. Did pass the materials along to those with this responsibility, but don't know whether they used them. I will note that the framework in the book was quite useful to me in framing an approach to a dispute between colleagues.

I am a researcher; don't teach but interested in moral education.

I was planning to develop an Honors course -- discovered someone already offered a "biomedical ethics" course.

Because I maintain resources for those who teach classes, as opposed to teaching myself. I don't teach ethics.

Informal assessment only -- used as major reading for Grad Colloq Discussion for 4 weeks.

I used them to discuss substantive moral issues, not moral development of students.

See B 1 above.

Limitations on time (this is currently a 10-hour course spread over 5 sessions) and the willingness of other faculty participants. It had nothing to do with the merits of the booklet.

Sort of. I realize there is an educational objective in evaluating the effectiveness of teaching, but at least for the first round, I'm less concerned about assessment.

It proved useful in assessing students' use of moral reasoning.

Not enough time in my course part. I use cases specific to my discipline. I use your book to prepare myself.

Used as examples in requisite areas of a general course in Markets, Ethics, and Law.

I read a couple as a stimulus for discussion.

I teach animal research issues and used the booklet as a source of ideas and a guide for teaching. You do not have animal research in the booklet.

I am only using small parts of the booklet for a broader course on Ethics and Experimentation.

I don't really teach a course. I used it for informal training.

I prefer to use them to develop, not assess, their moral reasoning skills.

Another text was also in use. I used the cases for lecture/discussion preparation.

We are an undergraduate chemistry faculty teaching scientific ethics to sophomore chemistry majors. The cases (that I've had a chance to peruse) are geared more to graduate level issues and will need some revision for my students to be able to "connect."

We have a rather small (6-10) group of graduate students in biomedical sciences who take "Professional Responsibility/Integrity in Science," consisting of 6-8, 2hr/week meetings. I don't have "formal training" in assessing moral reasoning -- I'm a "scientist/researcher-lawyer." I use a variety of ethica/legal materials and readings. See examples attached of typical class activities and how we used one of your cases to develop a final exam question.

Lawyers are incapable of moral reasoning.

I have written my own cases ("The Ethical Chemist") that are more relevant to the audience.

Will use them for teaching and discussion.

"Research ethics" is not an area I teach, therefore little could be done to make it relevant. I found it an interesting resource, however.

Don't know, haven't had a chance to use it yet.

I will have a better idea on recommended changes/additions after next term.

Give me until December '96 for a complete answer. I must obtain the student perspective for the answer to be meaningful!

More cases, formatted for easy class use -- 1 page.

Very user friendly, a great resource, fine the way it is.

I personally like the cases. The assessment tool strikes me as a bit too theory-driven, as worded, to appeal to most scientists, and although we didn't use the tool, I wonder if there would have been more interest if the questions could have been rephrased to arrive at the same points via a more pragmatic route.

Since I haven't used it in practice, yet, it's hard to say. From some case-based teaching we're doing here at the Vet School, I guess I'd favor some multi-part cases that could be handed out in sections. From the couple of ethics workshops/discussions I've attended, part of the challenge is when the scenario changes just about when everyone thinks they have the ethical bull by the horns.

I would welcome expansion of this booklet into areas such as environmental ethics and perhaps a few selected areas in biomedical ethics.

I'll be in a better position to respond to these questions after I have offered the course for the first time (this coming winter term).

I think the booklet is a great resource -- it would meet my needs better if broadened beyond research ethics.

I have not yet used it. Will review as I prepare discussion.

More case studies

Good as is.

Not able to comment yet as I shall be using it this coming term, but I like what I see.

It's fine.

I can't expect more cases specific to vision research.

Don't know, haven't had a chance to use it yet.

Addition of a glossary appropriate for students; and an index.

More integration of regulatory and policy material, e.g. federal misconduct provisions.

More cases. It's relatively easy to come up with a case scenario, but very difficult to craft discussion material.

Add a case study re. research participants and informed consent (or the lack of it).

I found the booklet very useful.

A few real cases with notes on whether they went wrong/where they could have been helped.

Applications to business goals and a research career in industry would help because of the value this can bring to a career and satisfactory employment.

Some more on behavioral research.

Really nothing I can think of.

Nothing obvious to me. Ethics in research is a small and minor part of my teaching of ethics.

I received this booklet after my course had started, to used only the Jessica Banks Case. Had previously used cases in Research Ethics: Cases and Materials, edited by Penslar.

Don't know, haven't had a chance to use it yet.

I already use a variety of materials, including a chronology of the Baltimore case, and other actual cases students might already be familiar with or heard of. Moral Reasoning is a helpful addition to this approach.

A bibliography on teaching ethics.

*Actually covered this in D. Role playing could be fascinating. Each player gets info sheet with prerequisite knowledge and instructions on what stance to take, what he/she won't compromise on. Not easy to develop.
*Brief history of various regulatory fields and how they came into being -- Nuremberg, Helsinki, US cases (Tuskeegee, Willlowbrook, etc.), Belmont, CFRs, for human research, for example. What led to the develpment of the regulations, such as MIS. Our ethicist maintains a fundamental difference between IRB and Radiation Safety, for example.

I have already developed my own.

I am currently looking at the AAAS videos to see if I can incorporate them. Otherwise, I'm open to better ways of reaching the graduate students and post-docs we teach.

Time, time, and more time! And more help. There are a few of us who enjoy this, but it is a real time burner. Most of the faculty are still of the mindset that students learn by example that that should be sufficient.

One of the general areas covered in my course is research. Your booklet has been a valuable adjunct for reference when my class reaches that specific area.

New cases every 2-3 years as inserts (for a fee, of course!).

A "concise" text of some sort.

Overheads (i.e. templates for overheads)

I just received the book and have read it quite carefully. I'm not sure I am up-to-speed yet on the analytical approach you developed but I find it very powerful and consistent. This year I plan to use the approach of the book in a less formal way, and perhaps next year use it in full. I have undergraduates entirely, with majors in chemistry, physics, geology, biology, computer science. The case studies in the book needed more breadth of scientific field and work environment for my use. Don't forget -- graduate students will not be in academia forever and need to rehearse potential dilemmas. This is the most helpful case study collection I have found -- because of the instruction in how to analyze and evaluate moral reasoning. Thanks. Please send me a list of your other publications and an order form.

Sorry, I can't help more. The materials look great, but I can't assess them until I use them.

Clearly, the booklet is being used for a purpose you didn't intend. We've found it interesting particularly in the development of case studies for research administration.

I have read the material from the viewpoint of a professional practitioner who is not in the university system and find that is is very useful to give students some tools so they can make informed decisions in their careers based on something other than gut feelings. I try to present similar tools for students and practitioners alike by using my career and experienc

Thanks for a very helpful resource!

I used them in a 1 week seminar for our graduate student TA's (16 in all) -- 2 of the 15 meetings were on the "ethics" area.

A good workbook, useful in stimulating discussion after introducing basic moral principles in science.

I am a Liberal Arts dean. I got the book to gain insight to help faculty and staff deal with ethical issues.

I am on the American Sociological Association's Committee on Professional Ethics. We are developing a new Code and Handboook Casebook. This should be most useful to me.

I may use Moral Reasoning the next time I teach this seminar -- it is an interesting and worthwhile approach to the topic.

The materials are very interesting; I plan to use some of them.

We are in the process of collecting more resources.

The important aspect of your book is the explicit process for case analysis. I intend to use or adapt it to the analysis of cases from "The Ethical Chemist." Your cases may be useful when I discuss ethics with audiences outside chemistry -- especially biology. I may have more suggestions as I use the book more. Thanks for your efforts.

I have found this approach quite useful in my research -- will adapt this for studies of media ethics.

The Survey

Dear Colleague,

I am writing to persons who have received one or more copies of Moral Reasoning in Scientific Research: Cases for Teaching and Assessment.

As you may know, development of the booklet was made possible in part by a grant from the United States Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE).

The term of our grant is drawing to a close, and I am preparing to write the final report to FIPSE, in which I would like to be able to give some indication of how the booklet has been received. I would greatly appreciate it if you would take a few moments to fill out the form below and return it to me at the Poynter Center. (Feel free to add comments on the back or additional sheets.)

Thank you for your help,

Kenneth D. Pimple, Ph.D.
Research Associate
 

A) What is your name?

B) Have you used, or do you intend to use, Moral Reasoning to teach research ethics? (circle one)

• Yes
• No

B.2) If yes, at what level did you/will you use it?

• Undergraduate
• Graduate
• Post-graduate

• Yes
• No

C) How could the booklet be changed to make it more useful to you?

D) What could be added to the booklet to make it more useful to you?

E) What other materials or resources for teaching research ethics would you find useful?