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Scientific Integrity
This widely adopted textbook provides the essential content and skill-building tools for teaching the responsible conduct of scientific research. Scientific Integrity covers the breadth of concerns faced by protection of animal and human experimental subjects, scientific publication, intellectual property, conflict of interest, collaboration, record keeping, mentoring, and the social and ethical responsibilities of scientists. Learning activities and resources designed to elucidate the principles of Scientific Integrity include The new edition of Scientific Integrity responds to significant recent changes―new mandates, policies, laws, and other developments―in the field of responsible conduct of research. Dr. Macrina plants the seeds of awareness of existing, changing, and emerging standards in scientific conduct and provides the tools to promote critical thinking in the use of that information. Scientific Integrity is the original turnkey text to guide the next generations of scientists as well as practicing researchers in the essential skills and approaches for the responsible conduct of science.
576 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 7, 2020
The world of research ethics has become complicated. This is due in part to increasingly complicated research protocols, in part to evolving ethical mores, and in part to expanding institutional and legislative regulation of research. The beginning researcher (or even the experienced researcher) can easily become confused. This book attempts to provide a sort of roadmap to the ethical considerations and regulations in 21st Century science.
Where the book excels is in its scope. It manages to cover everything from human subjects to animal rights to plagiarism and everything in between. As such, of course, some of the book's contents won't apply to every reader, but on the whole the book presents a good "first stop" in researching almost any ethical dilemma in scientific research.
Many of us probably feel more than exhausted by the mindless regurgitation of the same handful of case studies in research ethics that seem to permeate the entire textbook publishing industry. This book is a welcome reprieve from reading the same cases and listening to the same lectures time and time again. Though any book on the topic must necessarily be an incomplete treatment of the subject, this one manages to hold the reader's interest much longer than expected.
The book's failure, however, is that in its attempt to provide an encyclopedic view of research ethics, it often gives insufficient time to the details and nuances of many of these issues. While some regulatory matters are easy to describe objectively, many ethical debates wander into the area of moral reasoning, and the book often failed to capture the complexity of some of these issues. The book is also focused almost entirely on the ethical guidelines mandated for federally-funded research in the United States and offers very little insight into the ethical debates surrounding or legal status of privately funded research.
The book becomes, then, neither a repository of well-balanced moral debates on research ethics nor a comprehensive guide to the process of getting a study through ethical review, but something in between: a conceptual overview of research ethics written for the serious scientist or science student looking for something with a bit more intellectual heft than the usual textbook ethics presentation.
While the above comments are true for the majority of the book, the sixth chapter on animal research is a disappointment compared to the rest of the book. In its attempt to maintain respect for the differing positions on the issue, it fails to capture the magnitude of the debate and ultimately fails to adequately balance the research scientist's concerns against those of even the most extreme of fringe animal rights groups.
Those looking for detailed guidance in getting their own projects through the various obstacles of ethical review won't find sufficient information here. However, the book's references are sufficiently well-documented that the book might put you on your way to finding what you need. Of particular use for these readers will be some of the appendices. Though the appendices overall are of mixed utility, the sample laboratory protocols provide a useful framework for the reader trying to write his or her own protocol.
Where the book excels is in its scope. It manages to cover everything from human subjects to animal rights to plagiarism and everything in between. As such, of course, some of the book's contents won't apply to every reader, but on the whole the book presents a good "first stop" in researching almost any ethical dilemma in scientific research.
Many of us probably feel more than exhausted by the mindless regurgitation of the same handful of case studies in research ethics that seem to permeate the entire textbook publishing industry. This book is a welcome reprieve from reading the same cases and listening to the same lectures time and time again. Though any book on the topic must necessarily be an incomplete treatment of the subject, this one manages to hold the reader's interest much longer than expected.
The book's failure, however, is that in its attempt to provide an encyclopedic view of research ethics, it often gives insufficient time to the details and nuances of many of these issues. While some regulatory matters are easy to describe objectively, many ethical debates wander into the area of moral reasoning, and the book often failed to capture the complexity of some of these issues. The book is also focused almost entirely on the ethical guidelines mandated for federally-funded research in the United States and offers very little insight into the ethical debates surrounding or legal status of privately funded research.
The book becomes, then, neither a repository of well-balanced moral debates on research ethics nor a comprehensive guide to the process of getting a study through ethical review, but something in between: a conceptual overview of research ethics written for the serious scientist or science student looking for something with a bit more intellectual heft than the usual textbook ethics presentation.
While the above comments are true for the majority of the book, the sixth chapter on animal research is a disappointment compared to the rest of the book. In its attempt to maintain respect for the differing positions on the issue, it fails to capture the magnitude of the debate and ultimately fails to adequately balance the research scientist's concerns against those of even the most extreme of fringe animal rights groups.
Those looking for detailed guidance in getting their own projects through the various obstacles of ethical review won't find sufficient information here. However, the book's references are sufficiently well-documented that the book might put you on your way to finding what you need. Of particular use for these readers will be some of the appendices. Though the appendices overall are of mixed utility, the sample laboratory protocols provide a useful framework for the reader trying to write his or her own protocol.
March 22, 2023
Macrina has updated and greatly expanded his classic textbook on responsible conduct of research for new researchers in the biomedical sciences. The book is thorough and authoritative, with short scenarios for discussion that present realistic ethical problems that arise in scientific laboratories. Chapter 2 summarizes the standard moral theories of Western philosophy, but since they are not used in the rest of the book, instructors and students can skip this chapter.
March 25, 2021
4.2 stars. Review pending.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews