Student Compliance with Ethical Guidelines: The Glasgow Ethics Code

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Student Compliance with Ethical GuidelinesThe
Glasgow Ethics Code

• Helen C Purchase
• Computing Science Department
• University of Glasgow

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Institutional Requirements

• Wellcome Trust, 2002
• all research involving human participants or
  human data
• ethical procedures followed throughout the
  university

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• Participants could be asked to
• distinguish between different rhythms in tactile
  sensors
• indicate which web-page design they like best
• answer questions about different representations
  of the same data
• answer questions about the content of a web site
• navigate an area using a PDA, sending messages
  when they locate specified objects
• describe what features they would like in a
  system
• highlight problems in an existing system
• perform a given task using an existing system
• browse web pages at will, and then answer
  questions
• walk round traffic cones while responding to 3D
  audio cues

4

• Computing Science is different?
• formal experiments
• formative and summative evaluation of software

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Objections!

• Are we aware of any instances of unethical
  practise in our department?
• Does the university really intend us to use such
  heavy procedures?
• Everyone uses a computer these days what risks
  can there be?
• What is the penalty for academics/students if
  ethical processes are not followed?
• Can we put forward a case for CS to be exempt?

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Nature of the research

• Academic Staff, PhD students, MRes (FEC)
• long-term projects
• results often used after the term of the project
• usually published
• MSc, undergraduate assessments (DEC)
• short term assignments or projects (approx 3
  months full time)
• data usually used only within the project
• seldom published

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Taught PG and undergraduate

• Module assignments
• Design an evaluation method to test the
  usability of your web site, and conduct an
  evaluation with potential users. Analyse the data
  you collect from your evaluation, and identify
  ways in which the usability of your site may be
  improved.
• Projects
• Implement an interactive system for creating
  drawings of graphs. The system should calculate
  the values of at least five layout metrics for a
  drawing and should implement at least two
  automatic graph layout algorithms, one of which
  should make use of the metric values.

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Taught MSc Undergraduate
Sign 12 point ethics form submit with project
document
yes
Procedure conforms to all the points on the 12
point check-list?
Design evaluation procedure, making use of given
example introduction and debriefing scripts
no
Submit Departmental Ethics Form (includes
consent form and information sheet)
Departmental Ethics Committee
Phd MSc by Research Research Staff Academic Staff
Submit Faculty Ethics Form
Faculty Ethics Committee
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• Participants were not exposed to any risks
  greater than those encountered in normal working
  life
• The experimental materials were paper-based
  materials, or comprised software running on
  standard hardware
• All participants explicitly stated that they
  agreed to take part (I)
• No incentives were offered to the participants
• No information about the evaluation or materials
  was intentionally withheld from the participants
  (I)
• No participant was under the age of 16

10

• No participant has an impairment that may limit
  their understanding or communication
• I am not in a position of authority over any of
  the participants
• All participants were informed that they could
  withdraw at any time (I)
• All participants have been informed of my contact
  details (D)
• The evaluation was discussed with all
  participants at the end of the session, and all
  participants had the opportunity to ask questions
  (D)
• All the data collected from the participants is
  stored in an anonymous form

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Examples provided

• For all evaluations
• Introduction script
• Debriefing script
• If a DEC ethics submission is required
• Consent form
• Information sheet

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Experiences

• Cultural change
• Penalties for non-conformance
• Deviation
• Complacency
• Learning

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• Assumptions
• coursework assessments do not require that any of
  the 12 points are violated
• projects conducted as part of an academic staff
  members research are covered by FEC approval
• students read the 12 points before signing the
  form!
• supervisors will highlight the need for ethics
  approval if any of the 12 points are violated

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Case-based change

• 2. The experimental materials were paper-based
  materials, or comprised software running on
  standard hardware
• 3. All participants explicitly stated that they
  agreed to take part
• 6. No participant was under the age of 16
• Highlighting cases of violation
• collecting data from visiting school students
• collecting data from schools
• PDAs, audio, tactile
• using past student data

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Materials

• Categories of evaluations, and conditions for use
• 12 point checklist
• 12 point agreement form for assignments
• 12 point agreement form for projects
• Department Ethics Approval form
• Examples
• introduction script
• debriefing script
• consent form
• information sheet
• www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/hcp/ethics