Scientific Misconduct

Breaking Down the APA Ethics Code

The APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (also known as the APA Ethics Code) was first published in 1953 and has been revised several times since then, most recently in 2010. It includes about 150 specific ethical standards that psychologists and their students are expected to follow. Much of the APA Ethics Code concerns the clinical practice of psychology—advertising one’s services, setting and collecting fees, having personal relationships with clients, and so on. For our purposes, the most relevant part is Standard 8: Research and Publication. Although Standard 8 is reproduced here in its entirety, we should consider some of its most essential aspects—informed consent, deception, and debriefing- in more detail. I have also chosen to include some information that we haven’t previously discussed but that you might be interested in. Such topics include the use of nonhuman animal subjects and various aspects of scholarly integrity.

APA Ethics Code

(8.01 Institutional Approval)

🏛️ Institutional Approval Checklist – Student-Friendly Guide

Before conducting research, psychologists must follow institutional rules to ensure their study is ethical and approved.

✅ 1. Submit Accurate Research Information
Psychologists must provide honest and complete details about their research plans to the appropriate review board (like an Institutional Review Board or IRB).

✅ 2. Get Approval Before Starting
They must wait until the study has been officially approved before beginning any part of the research.

✅ 3. Follow the Approved Plan
Once approved, psychologists must stick to the research plan they submitted. Any changes must also be approved before being made.

(8.02 Informed Consent to Research)

📝 Informed Consent Checklist – Student-Friendly Guide

Use this checklist to understand what psychologists must explain before you agree to participate in a research study.

🔹 General Research Participation

✅ 1. Purpose, Time, and Process
Psychologists must explain what the study is about, how long it will take, and what you’ll be asked to do.

✅ 2. Right to Decline or Withdraw
You can say no to participating or choose to stop at any time without being punished or judged.

✅ 3. Possible Consequences of Saying No or Quitting
They must tell you what might happen if you choose not to participate or leave the study early.

✅ 4. Possible Risks or Discomforts
You must be informed about anything that might cause stress, discomfort, or other problems during the study.

✅ 5. Possible Benefits
Psychologists must explain what benefits may come from your participation, for you or for others.

✅ 6. Privacy and Confidentiality
You’ll be told what personal information will be kept private and when it might need to be shared (like for safety reasons).

✅ 7. Incentives or Rewards
You’ll know ahead of time if you’ll receive anything for participating, like money or extra credit.

✅ 8. Who to Contact
You’ll be given a name and contact information if you have questions about the study or your rights as a participant.

✅ 9. Ask Questions Freely
Psychologists must give you a chance to ask questions and provide clear, honest answers.

🔹 If the Study Involves a New Treatment (Intervention Research)

✅ 10. Explain It’s Experimental
They must tell you the treatment is still being tested and not yet proven.

✅ 11. Control Group Information
They must explain what the control group (the group not receiving the treatment) will or won’t receive.

✅ 12. How You’re Placed in a Group
You’ll be told how people are assigned to different groups, like by random selection.

✅ 13. Other Treatment Options
Psychologists must tell you what other options are available if you don’t want to participate or choose to leave the study.

✅ 14. Costs and Payments
They must clearly explain whether you’ll be paid, whether you’ll need to pay anything, and whether your insurance may be billed.

(8.03 Informed Consent for Recording Voices and Images in Research)

🎙️ Recording Consent Checklist – Student-Friendly Guide

Before recording voices or images for research, psychologists must follow these informed consent rules:

✅ 1. Get Permission First
Psychologists must ask for and receive informed consent before recording participants’ voices or images for research.

🚫 Exceptions (when prior consent is not required):

• ✅ 2. Public Observation Exception
  Consent is not needed if:

  • The recording is done in a public place, and

  • It’s part of a naturalistic observation, and

  • The recording won’t be used in a way that could identify or harm anyone.

• ✅ 3. Deception Exception
  If the study involves deception, psychologists can record without initial consent only if:

  • The recording is explained during debriefing, and

  • Participants give permission to use the recording at that time.

8.04 Client/Patient, Student, and Subordinate Research Participants

🧑‍🏫 Power Imbalance Protection Checklist – Student-Friendly Guide

When psychologists recruit clients, students, or employees for research, special care must be taken to protect their rights and choices.

✅ 1. No Pressure to Participate
Psychologists must make sure that clients, students, or employees do not feel pressured to participate in research just because of their relationship with the psychologist (e.g., therapist, teacher, or supervisor).

✅ 2. No Negative Consequences for Saying No
If someone chooses not to participate or decides to stop participating, psychologists must ensure they won’t face any penalties, loss of benefits, or negative treatment.

✅ 3. Fair Alternatives for Students
If participating in research is required for a class or offered as a way to earn extra credit, students must be given another fair and equal activity they can do instead.

(8.05 Dispensing With Informed Consent for Research)

🚫 When Informed Consent May Be Skipped – Student-Friendly Checklist

Psychologists must usually get informed consent before starting a study, but there are a few specific situations where it’s allowed to skip it.

✅ 1. No Likely Harm or Stress
Consent may be skipped if the research is not expected to cause harm, discomfort, or stress.

✅ 2. Studies on Normal School Practices
This includes research on everyday classroom teaching, school routines, or management techniques in educational settings.

✅ 3. Anonymous or Public Observations
Consent is not needed for:

• Anonymous surveys

• Watching people in public (without interacting)

• Using old data/records
  As long as no one can be identified and their privacy is protected.

✅ 4. Safe Workplace Studies
If the research is done in a workplace and:

• It doesn’t affect anyone’s job or job security, and

• Personal information stays private,
  then consent may be waived.

✅ 5. Legal or Institutional Approval
Psychologists can also skip consent if the law or the school’s policies say it’s okay.

(8.06 Offering Inducements for Research Participation)

🎁 Incentives and Professional Services Checklist – Student-Friendly Guide

Psychologists must be careful when offering rewards to ensure participants are not unfairly influenced or misled.

✅ 1. Avoid Overly Persuasive Rewards
Psychologists should not offer rewards (like money, gifts, or other benefits) that are so large they might pressure someone to join a study when they normally wouldn’t.

✅ 2. Be Clear About Professional Services
If therapy, counseling, or other professional services are offered as a reward for participating, psychologists must clearly explain:

• What the service includes

• Any possible risks involved

• What participants are expected to do

• Any limitations to what is being offered

(8.07 Deception in Research)

🎭 Deception in Research Checklist – Student-Friendly Guide

Psychologists must follow strict rules when using deception in a study to protect participants’ rights and well-being.

✅ 1. Use Deception Only When Necessary
Psychologists can only use deception if it’s truly needed for the study and the research has clear scientific, educational, or practical value.

✅ 2. No Other Options
They must be sure there’s no other way to carry out the research without using deception.

✅ 3. No Harmful Lies
Psychologists are never allowed to deceive participants about anything that could cause physical pain or serious emotional harm.

✅ 4. Explain the Deception Promptly
If deception is used, psychologists must explain it to participants as soon as possible—ideally right after they participate, and no later than the end of data collection.

✅ 5. Give Participants a Choice
Once the deception is revealed, participants must be given the option to remove their data if they’re uncomfortable with having been misled.

(8.08 Debriefing)

🗣️ Post-Study Communication & Participant Care Checklist – Student-Friendly Guide

Psychologists must be transparent with participants and take action to prevent or reduce harm, especially after a study ends.

✅ 1. Share Study Information
Participants must be given a chance to learn about the study, what was discovered, and why it matters.

✅ 2. Clear Up Confusion
Psychologists should correct any misunderstandings or confusion participants may have about the study.

✅ 3. Delay Only If Justified
If there’s a valid reason to wait before sharing study details, psychologists must take steps to ensure participants remain safe in the meantime.

✅ 4. Respond to Harm
If a participant is harmed during the study, psychologists must act to reduce the harm as much as possible.

(8.09 Humane Care and Use of Animals in Research)

🧪 Ethical Use of Animals in Research – Student Checklist

Use this guide to understand how psychologists must responsibly care for and treat animals in research settings.

✅ 1. Follow All Laws and Professional Guidelines
Psychologists must follow all federal, state, and local laws and professional standards when working with animals. This includes how animals are acquired, cared for, used, and released or euthanized.

✅ 2. Have Qualified Supervisors
Only psychologists with proper research training and experience with lab animals can supervise animal studies. They are responsible for ensuring animals are treated humanely.

✅ 3. Train Everyone Who Helps
Anyone working with animals must be trained in research methods and how to safely and properly care for the specific animals involved in the study.

✅ 4. Reduce Pain and Stress
Psychologists must do everything they reasonably can to minimize any discomfort, illness, pain, or stress experienced by the animals.

✅ 5. Only Use Painful Procedures When Absolutely Needed
Procedures that may cause pain or distress should only be used if:

• There is no other option.

• The study has clear scientific, educational, or practical value.

✅ 6. Use Safe Surgical Practices
If surgery is needed:

• Animals must be given proper anesthesia.

• Psychologists must use methods that prevent infection and reduce pain both during and after the procedure.

✅ 7. Euthanasia Must Be Humane
If an animal’s life must be ended:

• It must be done quickly.

• Pain should be minimized.

• Accepted and approved methods must be used.

(8.10 Reporting Research Results)

🧾 Reporting Research Results Checklist – Student-Friendly Guide

When sharing research findings, psychologists must be honest, accurate, and willing to correct mistakes.

✅ 1. Never Make Up Data
Psychologists must not invent or falsify data under any circumstances.

✅ 2. Correct Mistakes If Found
If a psychologist finds a serious mistake in their published work, they must take action to fix it—by publishing a correction, retraction, or note explaining the error.

(8.11 Plagiarism)

📚 Plagiarism Checklist – Student-Friendly Guide

Plagiarism is using someone else’s work or ideas without giving proper credit. Psychologists—and all researchers—must avoid it at every stage of their work.

✅ 1. Use Your Own Words
Always write in your own words. Don’t copy and paste from books, articles, or websites without proper quoting and citation.

✅ 2. Give Credit for Ideas
If you use someone else’s idea, theory, or finding—even if you rewrite it in your own words—you must cite the original source.

✅ 3. Use Quotation Marks for Direct Quotes
If you use the exact words from a source, put them in quotation marks and include a proper citation.

✅ 4. Don’t Reuse Your Own Past Work Without Permission
You shouldn’t submit the same paper or project for more than one class or study unless you get approval first.

✅ 5. Keep Track of Your Sources
Take good notes and keep track of all articles, books, and websites you use during your research so you can cite them properly.

✅ 6. Use a Citation Style Guide
Follow the correct citation formatting (like APA style) to show where your information came from.

(8.12 Publication Credit)

✍️ Publication Credit Checklist – Student-Friendly Guide

Psychologists must give fair credit to everyone who contributed meaningfully to a research project or publication.

✅ 1. Take Credit Only for Work You Did
You should only be listed as an author if you actually did the work or made a substantial contribution to the project.

✅ 2. Authorship Must Reflect Real Contributions
The order of authors (who is listed first, second, etc.) should honestly reflect how much each person contributed—not their job title or status.

✅ 3. Titles Don’t Equal Authorship
Just having a high position (like department chair) is not a reason to be listed as an author unless that person actively contributed to the work.

✅ 4. Acknowledge Minor Help Properly
People who helped in small ways (like reviewing drafts or giving feedback) should be thanked in a footnote or acknowledgment, not listed as co-authors.

✅ 5. Students Deserve Credit for Their Work
When a student’s dissertation forms the main part of a paper with multiple authors, the student should usually be listed as the first author.

✅ 6. Talk About Authorship Early
Faculty and students should have honest conversations about authorship roles and credits as early as possible and revisit them throughout the project.

(8.13 Duplicate Publication of Data)

🔁 Duplicate Publication Checklist – Student-Friendly Guide

Psychologists must be honest about where their data comes from and avoid presenting old data as if it were new.

✅ 1. Don’t Present Old Data as New
You cannot publish the same data in more than one place and pretend it’s original. That would be dishonest.

✅ 2. It’s Okay to Reuse Data—If You’re Honest About It
If you need to use data that’s already been published, you must clearly say so and give credit to the original source.

✅ 3. Always Acknowledge Previous Publication
Tell readers where the data was first published, so they know you’re being transparent.

(8.14 Sharing Research Data for Verification)

Once research findings are published, psychologists must be open to sharing their data with other professionals who want to double-check the results—as long as participant privacy is protected and no legal rules prevent it. Those who ask for data must only use it for the purpose they said they would, and must get written permission to use it for anything else.

📊 Data Sharing Checklist – Student-Friendly Guide

✅ 1. Be Willing to Share Data
After publishing results, be ready to share your data with qualified researchers who want to reanalyze it—only if it doesn’t break confidentiality or legal rules.

✅ 2. Protect Participant Privacy
Never share data in a way that could reveal who participated in the study.

✅ 3. Respect Legal Restrictions
You don’t have to share data if legal rights (like ownership or contracts) prevent it.

✅ 4. It’s Okay to Ask for Cost Coverage
You can ask others to pay for any costs involved in providing your data (e.g., formatting or shipping).

✅ 5. Only Use Data for Its Approved Purpose
If you request data from another researcher, you must only use it for the purpose you stated.

✅ 6. Get Permission for Any Other Use
If you want to use the shared data in a new way, you must get written permission first.

(8.15 Reviewers)

🕵️‍♂️ Ethical Reviewer Checklist – Student-Friendly Guide

When psychologists review materials (like research papers, grant proposals, or presentations), they must act with integrity and protect the rights of those who submitted the work.

✅ 1. Respect Confidentiality
Keep everything you read during the review private. Do not share it with others or discuss it without permission.

✅ 2. Protect Original Work
Treat all submitted materials as the intellectual property of the author. Do not use, copy, or build upon their ideas or data without clear permission.

✅ 3. Don’t Use What You Review
You are reviewing someone else’s work—not gathering ideas or data for your own. Using their content without consent is unethical.

✅ 4. Stay Professional
Review with fairness and respect. Your role is to give helpful, honest feedback, not to judge or compete.

😊 Final Thoughts on Research Ethics

I hope this simplifies the core ethical responsibilities that every researcher should understand and follow. Whether you are conducting a study, writing up results, or reviewing someone else’s work, ethical practices are essential to protecting participants, respecting intellectual property, and maintaining the credibility of your research. These checklists are designed to help guide you through each stage of the research process with clarity and confidence. As you continue your journey as a researcher, remember that integrity, transparency, and respect are at the heart of all responsible scientific work.

Source: You can read the full APA Ethics Code at http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx.