Responsible Conduct of Research

Now in its second edition, Responsible Conduct of Research provides an introduction to many of the social, ethical, and legal issues facing scientists today. The fully updated volume includes three brand new chapters and additional cases for discussion, as well as analysis of the latest issues and problems in research ethics.

Featuring chapters that treat such topics as ethical decision-making, research misconduct, and intellectual property, this new edition will be an indispensable resource for students and teachers, academics and industry professionals alike.

Shamoo (applied professional ethics, U. of Maryland at Baltimore) and Resnick (medical humanities, East Carolina U.) present an introduction to the ethical issues in the use of humans and animals in research. Coverage ranges from broad issues relating to social responsibility, research funding, and freedom of inquiry to more specific topics such as ethical aspects of recording data in lab notebooks, experiment design, citing published works, and deciding authorship matters. While focused on biomedical research, coverage also includes topics applicable to most research-oriented disciplines. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Erica Rangel, BA(Saint Louis University)
Description:The authors of this book offer an accessible and thorough introduction to many of the social, ethical, and legal issues facing scientists and researchers today. This second edition includes four new chapters on burgeoning areas of interest, including international research, protection of vulnerable populations, and genetics and stem cell research. The first edition was published in 2002.
Purpose:The purpose is to educate and equip scientists to respond to the numerous ethical issues they face in the course of their research with integrity and accountability. The authors succeed by covering an impressive array of topics, but with an eye toward practicality by incorporating many examples and case discussions.
Audience:While the book is written for anyone involved in research, it may be of more focused interest to biomedical researchers, as it has several chapters on the use of humans and animals in research. However, researchers in any scientific discipline will find it a useful guide.
Features:Each of the 16 chapters addresses a different area of the ethical conduct of research. The book begins with an overview of ethical decision-making by briefly summarizing different ethical theories and presenting a method for making ethical decisions, and proceeds through such topics as data acquisition, authorship, research misconduct, and the protection of human research subjects. Among the notable features are chapter summaries, discussion questions, and case studies, as well as an appendix detailing a sample policy for responding to allegations of research misconduct.
Assessment:The authors are qualified and dexterous authors on the subject of accountability in research. Their book covers impressive ground with thoughtful attention to practicality and readability. I would recommend this to anyone involved in scientific research as a tool for becoming more aware of the social and ethical implications of their attitudes and behavior.

Adil E. Shamoo, PhD, is founder and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Accountability in Research. He is currently a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
David B. Resnik, JD, PhD, is a Bioethicist and Chair of the Institutional Review Board at the National Institute of Environmental Health Science, National Institutes of Health. He is Associate Editor of the journal Accountability in Research.