Research Ethics checklist

The Research Council attaches importance to the projects maintaining high ethical standards. As a general rule, the application should discuss relevant ethical questions. Here is a checklist:

The project's objectives and methods
Will the project's objectives and methods break with accepted ethical principles? This could, for example, apply if

• the project helps increase the control and manipulation of individuals in society-at-large;
• environmental considerations are not adequately covered (See the section on Environmental Consequences);
• the project has debatable military/defence-related implications;
• the project violates Norwegian law (for example, the Animal Protection Act or the Regulations regarding Biological Experiments)

Research involving human subjects
Has informed consent been obtained properly from the subjects of the experiments? It is clear that there is no dependent relationship that could conceivably affect the subjects' consent? (See the relevant requirements below.)

Personal data
Has all personal data been sufficiently anonymised to guarantee adequate protection of privacy? (See the section on personal data.)

Risk and safety
Could implementation of the project per se entail injury to humans, animals or nature on a scale that ought not to be overlooked? In the event, are the individuals involved aware of that?

"Whistle-blowing" - a built-in warning system
Would a project team member who develops serious research ethics scruples upon implementation of a research project have an opportunity to present these concerns to an independent consultative body? Will this be made known and clarified in advance?

(Reproduced from the Guide to Research Ethics, published by NENT in 1992.)