Conducting research responsibly is an essential part of ethical research (Steneck & Bulger, 2007). When research is not conducted responsibly, the result is often research misconduct, which may cause harm to research participants (Aita & Richer, 2005). Although numerous methods and policies have been developed, both to prevent and to deal with research misconduct, such effects are ongoing (Howard Stone, 2001). A study conducted in the United States of America (USA) by Heitman, Olsen and Anestidou (2007) suggested that postgraduate biomedical students did not have sufficient knowledge of conducting research responsibly. This study aimed to adapt Heitman et al.’s (2007) study to social science postgraduate students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Although findings indicated that the participants had adequate knowledge of conducting research responsibly, the variables hypothesised to have an impact on the results – such as age, research experience, and research training – did not produce any significant findings. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

This thesis seeks to demonstrate, by way of a multidisciplinary study, that consent is, despite its legal definition which refers to the free and enlighted expression of individual will, in fact, at times limited if not eliminated, by social considerations, arising from the medical, economic and legal context. These considerations reflect what one might call the social norm. An appropriate understanding of consent serves, therefore, to express the social norm as a constraint, which, in turn, acts as a measure of what it means to belong in society. Thus, while consent is often presented as the fundamental principle to be respected in biomedical research, it is in reality, merely one principle to respect among others. These limitations connected to consent are exacerbated in emergency situations where consent is sometimes reduced to mere signature, and in some cases it has been recognized that research can be undertaken without the subject's prior consent.

Bibliography : leaves 251-277. / viii, 295 leaves : / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Examines the epidemiology of eye disease in Anangu Pitjantjatjara people of South Australia. The ethical issues of research in Aboriginal communities is discussed with reference to the handling and ownership of data. / Thesis (M.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Community Medicine, 1994

Acompanha: Plágio: não copie essa ideia / O presente estudo teve como objetivo verificar se as instituições de ensino superior (IES) desenvolvem políticas e ações para combater o plágio nos trabalhos acadêmicos, permitindo a criação de publicações relevantes. Para isso, definiu-se a seguinte hipótese básica: As políticas adotadas no combate ao plágio e as ações desenvolvidas pelas IES não o eliminam, contudo, gerando publicações pouco relevantes e com reduzido índice de citações. Como variáveis dependentes da hipótese básica, tem-se: publicações relevantes e quantidade de citações. As variáveis independentes da hipótese básica envolvem as políticas e as ações institucionais. Em se tratando dos objetivos, o estudo realizou uma pesquisa exploratória, efetuando uma análise predominantemente qualitativa do problema. Com relação aos procedimentos técnicos, adotou-se um levantamento, no qual o corpus documental foi constituído de 330 documentos (dissertações e teses) apresentados, no período de 2010 a 2012, junto aos cursos de Pós-Graduação (Mestrado, Mestrado Profissional e Doutorado) na área de Ensino, ofertados em 45 instituições de ensino superior. A coleta de dados foi efetuada utilizando a ferramenta de busca Google, sendo analisados 50 trechos (compostos de sentenças de até seis palavras), retirados das seções: introdução - cinco trechos; referencial teórico - 30 trechos; metodologia - cinco trechos; e, resultados e discussão - 10 trechos. A análise dos dados foi efetuada por meio de estatística descritiva. Constatou-se que a hipótese básica foi confirmada, pois as ações institucionais implementadas não eliminam os problemas decorrentes de plágio, em virtude da proporção de plágio obtido (1.942 trechos com plágio - acima de 11,0% dos trechos analisados). Adicionalmente, a divulgação dos resultados de algumas pesquisas foi realizada em periódicos sem indexação no Qualis da Capes (33,1%). Confirma-se que, apesar das recomendações encaminhadas pela Capes em 2011, poucas medidas foram implementadas nas IES para combater o plágio acadêmico. Conclui-se que, se as IES implementassem normativos internos e, periodicamente, orientassem a comunidade, efetuassem uma análise mais rigorosa dos documentos encaminhados, penalizassem severamente os responsáveis e intensificassem ações e medidas para o combate sistemático da desonestidade científica, o volume de plágio seria mitigado. / This study aimed at verifying whether Higher Education Institutions (IES, Brazilian Portuguese abbreviation) develop policies and actions to prevent plagiarism in academic works enabling the creation of relevant publications. To achieve such aim, the following basic hypothesis was defined: Policies adopted to prevent plagiarism and actions developed by IES do not eliminate it, therefore, generate publications of little relevance and reduced reference indicators. The variables dependent on the basic hypothesis were relevant publications and number of appearance in references. The basic hypothesis independent variables involved policies and institutional actions. Regarding the objectives, the study was developed as exploratory research, carrying out a predominantly qualitative analysis of the problem. In relation to technical procedures, a survey was carried out, in which the corpus comprised 330 documents (dissertations and thesis) presented from 2010 to 2012, from the Graduate Courses (Masters, Professional Masters and PhD programs) in the teaching area offered by 45 higher education institutions. Data was collected using the Google search tool, and 50 excerpts were analyzed (containing sentences of up to six words) from the sections: introduction, five excerpts; theoretical background, 30 excerpts; methodology, 5 excerpts; and results and discussion, 10 excerpts. The data was analyzed by employing descriptive statistics. The basic hypothesis was confirmed, since the institutional actions implemented did not eliminate the problems resulting from plagiarism as confirmed by the proportion of plagiarism found (1,924 excerpts with plagiarism – over 11.0% of the excerpts analyzed). In addition, the report of some research results was published in journals which are not indexed in the Qualis system by Capes (33.1%). Despite recommendations made by Capes in 2011, very few measures were implemented by the IES to prevent academic plagiarism. The results led to the conclusion that the IES should implement internal norms and instruct the community periodically. They should also carry out a stricter analysis of the documents sent, punishing severely those responsible for plagiarism and intensifying actions and measures to systematically fight scientific dishonesty. Such measures might mitigate the plagiarism volume.

The purpose of the study was to examine the perceptions of nurses regarding ethico-legal training in Ghana. The study further determined whether there were any discrepancies regarding ethico-legal training of nurses in Ghana, using six hospitals in the Upper West Region (Province). Data were collected through a quantitative, cross sectional research design. Out of 150 people constituting the study population, a sample size of 110 respondents was drawn. A self-developed questionnaire was used to collect data. Nurses who have been in practice for at least five years answered the questionnaires. The convenience sampling technique was found to be appropriate for this study. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse data. The findings revealed that although ethico-legal topics were contained in the nursing training curriculum, majority of nurses did not receive teaching/training on them, making nurses vulnerable to litigation. / Health Studies / M. A. (Nursing Science)

Acompanha: Plágio: não copie essa ideia / O presente estudo teve como objetivo verificar se as instituições de ensino superior (IES) desenvolvem políticas e ações para combater o plágio nos trabalhos acadêmicos, permitindo a criação de publicações relevantes. Para isso, definiu-se a seguinte hipótese básica: As políticas adotadas no combate ao plágio e as ações desenvolvidas pelas IES não o eliminam, contudo, gerando publicações pouco relevantes e com reduzido índice de citações. Como variáveis dependentes da hipótese básica, tem-se: publicações relevantes e quantidade de citações. As variáveis independentes da hipótese básica envolvem as políticas e as ações institucionais. Em se tratando dos objetivos, o estudo realizou uma pesquisa exploratória, efetuando uma análise predominantemente qualitativa do problema. Com relação aos procedimentos técnicos, adotou-se um levantamento, no qual o corpus documental foi constituído de 330 documentos (dissertações e teses) apresentados, no período de 2010 a 2012, junto aos cursos de Pós-Graduação (Mestrado, Mestrado Profissional e Doutorado) na área de Ensino, ofertados em 45 instituições de ensino superior. A coleta de dados foi efetuada utilizando a ferramenta de busca Google, sendo analisados 50 trechos (compostos de sentenças de até seis palavras), retirados das seções: introdução - cinco trechos; referencial teórico - 30 trechos; metodologia - cinco trechos; e, resultados e discussão - 10 trechos. A análise dos dados foi efetuada por meio de estatística descritiva. Constatou-se que a hipótese básica foi confirmada, pois as ações institucionais implementadas não eliminam os problemas decorrentes de plágio, em virtude da proporção de plágio obtido (1.942 trechos com plágio - acima de 11,0% dos trechos analisados). Adicionalmente, a divulgação dos resultados de algumas pesquisas foi realizada em periódicos sem indexação no Qualis da Capes (33,1%). Confirma-se que, apesar das recomendações encaminhadas pela Capes em 2011, poucas medidas foram implementadas nas IES para combater o plágio acadêmico. Conclui-se que, se as IES implementassem normativos internos e, periodicamente, orientassem a comunidade, efetuassem uma análise mais rigorosa dos documentos encaminhados, penalizassem severamente os responsáveis e intensificassem ações e medidas para o combate sistemático da desonestidade científica, o volume de plágio seria mitigado. / This study aimed at verifying whether Higher Education Institutions (IES, Brazilian Portuguese abbreviation) develop policies and actions to prevent plagiarism in academic works enabling the creation of relevant publications. To achieve such aim, the following basic hypothesis was defined: Policies adopted to prevent plagiarism and actions developed by IES do not eliminate it, therefore, generate publications of little relevance and reduced reference indicators. The variables dependent on the basic hypothesis were relevant publications and number of appearance in references. The basic hypothesis independent variables involved policies and institutional actions. Regarding the objectives, the study was developed as exploratory research, carrying out a predominantly qualitative analysis of the problem. In relation to technical procedures, a survey was carried out, in which the corpus comprised 330 documents (dissertations and thesis) presented from 2010 to 2012, from the Graduate Courses (Masters, Professional Masters and PhD programs) in the teaching area offered by 45 higher education institutions. Data was collected using the Google search tool, and 50 excerpts were analyzed (containing sentences of up to six words) from the sections: introduction, five excerpts; theoretical background, 30 excerpts; methodology, 5 excerpts; and results and discussion, 10 excerpts. The data was analyzed by employing descriptive statistics. The basic hypothesis was confirmed, since the institutional actions implemented did not eliminate the problems resulting from plagiarism as confirmed by the proportion of plagiarism found (1,924 excerpts with plagiarism – over 11.0% of the excerpts analyzed). In addition, the report of some research results was published in journals which are not indexed in the Qualis system by Capes (33.1%). Despite recommendations made by Capes in 2011, very few measures were implemented by the IES to prevent academic plagiarism. The results led to the conclusion that the IES should implement internal norms and instruct the community periodically. They should also carry out a stricter analysis of the documents sent, punishing severely those responsible for plagiarism and intensifying actions and measures to systematically fight scientific dishonesty. Such measures might mitigate the plagiarism volume.

M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Cur. / The purpose of this study is to establish guidelines for the utilization of narratives in popular literature in nursing education in order to facilitate reflective thinking with nursing students. The purpose of nursing education is to equip the prospective nursing practitioner to be able to function independently and effectively in a multicultural, technological and scientific nursing practice where caring is important. Quality nursing care demands critical analytical thinking (cognitive skills) and moral values (affective skills) of the nursing practitioner. This study investigates firstly the "what" of reflective thinking and concludes that reflection accommodates both thinking skills and values that should be facilitated at the prospective nursing practitioner. The facilitation of reflective thinking is demanding as it is a complex cognitive and affective thinking skill. The research focuses secondly on the way in which the narrative in popular literature can be applied to facilitate reflective thinking in nursing education. According to the constructivist learning approach meaningful learning and reflective thinking occur when coupled to previous knowledge and experience. The nursing student as adult learner has at his/her disposal certain advance knowledge and previous experience. Narratives and popular literature form part of the adult learner's advance knowledge and previous experience. The research design is a philosophical inquiry in which the following research strategies are used namely philosophical analysis as well as qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual strategies. In order to meet the purpose of the research, four goals were set and which were executed in four phases. At first the term reflective thinking was subjected to the process of concept analysis in order to clarify it's specific meaning (connotations and denotations). A theoretical definition of reflective thinking was formulated for the study from the connotations whereas denotations were used as the basis of learning outcomes for the Programme of Euthanasia as an Ethical Issue in Nursing Education (the Programme).

No description available.

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Problem statement For utilitarians, human beings have intrinsic moral significance based on only two acquired characteristics: sentience, or the ability to suffer, and psychological personhood. Sentience is the entrance-requirement for moral significance, but does not justify a "right to life" claim; at most a "right" not to suffer. Personhood, described as some sort of self-conscious awareness with a concept of the future, may justify a "right to life" claim. However, since personhood is absent in prenatal beings, and only develops some time after birth, the implication is that such beings have little moral significance and may, for instance, be killed "at will". The moral problem that I address in this dissertation is to investigate, assess and evaluate the utilitarian position on the moral status or value of prenatal life. Methodology and results I firstly, on the basis of an extensive literature study, make a detailed analysis of the utilitarian position with reference to a number of themes that I have identified in their argument. This is followed by a critical philosophical evaluation of the utilitarian position, based on six particular arguments: • Utilitarianism is philosophically incoherent. It over-simplifies the moral argument in claiming that consequences are all that matter morally. Its underlying moral theory is at odds with moral claims contained in contemporary notions of human rights and individual justice. It ignores the moral significance of special obligations to special groups. • Utilitarianism potentially has unacceptable consequences. It IS inherently discriminatory and may lead to legitimate "slippery slope" fears. • Utilitarianism clashes with our fundamental moral intuitions on the value of prenatal life. These intuitions are cherished in most world religions. • Contrary to the utilitarian position, speciesism is inevitable to the human condition, especially argued from a position of existential phenomenology. Self- constitution, simultaneous constitution of the world as we know it, and the very possibility of morality are possible only within a particular notion of speciesism. • The potentiality of pre-persons to develop into persons cannot be as convincingly ignored as is done by the utilitarian. • There is a basic and underlying need and intuition to protect vulnerable human beings, of which pre-persons are exemplars. These notions clash with utilitarian theory. As an alternative, I introduce, set out and evaluate a two-phased position on the moral significance of pre-personal human life, a position of respectfulness of prenatal and pre-personal human life based upon its humanity, potentiality and separation-viability. This leads, firstly, to the conclusion of a graded, sliding scale conception of human prepersonal moral significance in line with the level of development and with the actuation of potentiality. Secondly, it leads to the conclusion that the advent of separationsurvivability (viability) is a morally significant cut-off point beyond which the human fetus may "normally" have a justifiable right to the continuation of its life. In as far as the application of my argument is concerned, I develop a "moderate" position with reference to the abortion debate. Whilst I recognize that all human prenatal beings of which it can be argued that they have a reasonable chance to develop their intrinsic potentiality, i.e., to become full-fledged persons, should have the opportunity to do so, I also recognize that neither this position, nor the complexities of life make it possible to hold "absolute" positions on the justifiability of abortion. I explore this extremely problematic notion in the text. That having been said, the advent of separation-survivability may imply a "moral cut-off point", beyond which termination is only rarely justified. I argue that I find no moral hindrance to wellmotivated research on human pre-embryos and stem cells. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Probleemstelling Utilitariste huldig sterk omlynde standpunte oor die waarde van lewe. Hulle redeneer dat menslike (inderwaarheid, alle lewende) wesens slegs op grond van twee eienskappe intrinsieke morele waarde kan verwerf: sentiëntisme, d.i. die vermoë om lyding te ervaar, en persoonstatus. Sentiëntisme is 'n bepalende vereiste vir morele status, maar regverdig nie 'n "reg op lewe"-aanspraak nie. Persoonsyn, verstaan as 'n vorm van selfbewustheid tesame met 'n bewuste belang by die voortsetting van eie bestaan, mag wel so 'n aanspraak regverdig. Voorgeboortelike (en "voorpersoonlike") wesens is egter nie persone nie; hulle word eers (aansienlik) ná geboorte volwaardige persone. Die implikasie is dat sulke wesens weinig morele status het, en byvoorbeeld, na willekeur gedood mag word. Die morele probleem wat ek in hierdie dissertasie aanspreek is om die utilitaristiese beskouing ten opsigte van die morale status of waarde van voorgeboortelike lewe krities-filosofies te ondersoek en te evalueer. Metodologie en gevolgtrekkings Eerstens maak ek na aanleiding van 'n gedetaileerde literatuurstudie 'n in-diepte analise van van die utilitaristiese posisie aan die hand van 'n aantal temas wat ek in hul argument geïdentifiseer het. Daarna volg 'n krities-filosofiese evaluasie van die utilitaristiese posisie, aan die hand van ses argumente: • Utilitarisme is filosofies onsamehangend. Dit oorvereenvoudig die morele argument deur voor te gee dat gevolge al is wat moreel saakmaak. Die onderliggende utilitaristiese teorie bots met die morele eise vervat in kontemporêre sienings van menseregte en geregtigheid. Dit negeer die morele belangrikheid van spesiale verpligtinge teenoor spesiale belangegroepe. • Utilitarisme het potensieelonaanvaarbare gevolge. Dit IS inherent diskriminerend en kan lei tot onkeerbare glybaan ("slippery slope")-argumente. Utilitarisme bots met ons fundamentele morele intuïsies betreffende die waarde van voorgeboortelike lewe. Hierdie intuïsies word onder meer ondersteun deur die meeste hoofstroom godsdienste. • Spesiësisme is, in kontras met die utilitaristiese beskouing, onafwendbaar vir ons selfverstaan as mense, soos aangetoon kan word met 'n beroep op die eksistensiële fenomenologie. Self-konstituering, gelyktydige konstituering van die wêreld van die mens, en selfs die moontlikheid van moraliteit is slegs moontlik vanuit' n bepaalde spesiësistiese beskouing. • Die potensialiteit van "pre-persone" om tot volwaardige persone te ontwikkel kan nie, soos die utilitaris doen, sonder meer geïgnoreer word nie. • Daar is 'n basiese en onderliggende morele eis om swak en weerlose menslike wesens te beskerm. Hierdie idees bots lynreg met utilitaristiese teorie. As 'n alternatief tot die utilitaristiese beskouing, ontwikkel ek 'n twee-fase posisie betreffende die morele waarde van voorgeboortelike menslike lewe. Ek noem hierdie posisie agting vir voorgeboortelike en voor-persoonlike menslike lewe gebaseer op die menslikheid, potensialiteit en oorleefbaarheid van prenatale mense. Dit lei, eerstens, tot die gevolgtrekking van 'n gegradeerde glyskaal konsepsie van voor-persoonlike menslike morele waarde, min of meer parallel aan die vlak van ontwikkeling en die ontwikkeling van potensialiteit. Tweedens lei dit tot die gevolgtrekking dat die ontwikkeling van lewensvatbaarheid 'n moreel-beduidende afsnypunt is waarna die menslike fetus "normaalweg" aanspraak kan maak op 'n reg dat sy lewe voortgesit moet word. In soverre dit die toepassing van my argument betref, ontwikkel ek 'n "gematigde" posisie vis-á-vis aborsie. Ek redeneer dat alle menslike voorgeboortelike wesens wat 'n redelike kans het dat hul intrinsieke potensialiteit verder sal ontwikkel, die geleentheid daartoe gegun behoort te word. Ek aanvaar ook dat nog hierdie beskouing, nog die kompleksiteit van die menslike bestaan "absolute" posisies moreel regverdig. Die problematiek en inherente spanning tussen hierdie oënskynlik-opponerende posisies word in die teks bespreek. Nogtans beskou ek die ontwikkeling van lewensvatbaarheid as 'n moreel insiggewende afsnypunt waarna terminasie net in buitengewone omstandighede moreel regverdigbaar is.