Chapter 3: Ethics: What Are My Responsibilities as a Researcher?

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. Which one of the following is typically TRUE of informed consent forms?

a. explains the nature of the study

b. explains the right of the researcher to stop participants from leaving the study

c. explains the right of the research to ban access the results of the study

d. explains the right of participants to be paid for participating in the study

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Appropriate Language

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. Writing a literature review can have ethical implications in research owned by other people/companies. This is also known as ______.

a. use of proprietary information

b. use of secondary sources

c. use of chronology

d. issues of confidentiality

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Literature Review

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. The Nuremberg Code was the first international code to emphasize that research participants must ______.

a. consent to participate in the research

b. be adults

c. be guaranteed confidentiality

d. be guaranteed anonymity

Learning Objective: 3.3: Describe some of the major contemporary codes of ethics.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Nuremberg Code

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. The main points of the Declaration of Helsinki do not include ______.

a. research protocols reviewed by an independent committee

b. research conducted by qualified individuals

c. research risks not exceeding the benefits

d. use of deception

Learning Objective: 3.3: Describe some of the major contemporary codes of ethics.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Declaration of Helsinki

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. Which are the three basic principles set out by the Belmont Report with regard to protection of human research subjects?

a. respect for persons, appropriate compensation, and justice

b. respect for persons, appropriate compensation, and beneficence

c. appropriate compensation, random selection, and justice

d. respect for persons, beneficence, and justice

Learning Objective: 3.3: Describe some of the major contemporary codes of ethics.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Belmont Report

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. In the United States, standards and regulations covering human subjects research are shared by several federal agencies. These shared standards are known as the ______.

a. Belmont Report

b. Common Rule

c. Declaration of Helsinki

d. Declaration of Human Rights

Learning Objective: 3.3: Describe some of the major contemporary codes of ethics.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Regulations

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. ______ means that the researcher will not release any information that identifies participants even if they know what information each participant provided them.

a. Confidentiality

b. Anonymity

c. Privacy

d. Personal safety

Learning Objective: 3.5: Describe how the level of involvement with research participants can shape a researcher’s relationship with them.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Confidentiality and Anonymity

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. ______ consists of qualified researchers with similar interests assessing each other’s work.

a. Utilitarianism

b. The Belmont Report

c. IRB review

d. Peer review

Learning Objective: 3.4: Discuss the concepts of peer review and of institutional review boards.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Peer Review and Institutional Review Boards

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. A study in which the researcher observes people’s behavior without them being aware of it is also known as ______.

a. unobtrusive measures

b. control group

c. confederates study

d. survey research

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Money and Relationships

Difficulty Level: Medium

10. Researchers’ ethical responsibilities to participants includes which of the following?

a. protecting confidentiality but not anonymity of participants

b. avoiding debriefing participants when using deception

c. gaining informed consent

d. using participants’ real names in the study

Learning Objective: 3.5: Describe how the level of involvement with research participants can shape a researcher’s relationship with them.

Cognitive Domain: Application Exercises

Answer Location: Ethics Issues in Communication Research

Difficulty Level: Hard

11. Which ethical position argues that a behavior is valid if you’re willing to apply it universally?

a. Judeo-Christian perspective

b. categorical imperative

c. utilitarianism

d. the veil of ignorance

Learning Objective: 3.2: Explain some of the classic ethical positions that inform communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Some Classic Ethical Positions

Difficulty Level: Medium

True/False

1. The “Common Rule” refers to standards known as the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Regulations

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. The basic assumption of peer review is that the people best equipped to evaluate your work and its impact on human research participants are appropriately qualified people doing similar work to your own.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Peer Review and Institutional Review Boards

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. A Judeo-Christian test of ethical behavior is “would you be willing to be a participant in your research study yourself?”

Learning Objective: 3.2: Explain some of the classic ethical positions that inform communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Some Classic Ethical Positions

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. The categorical imperative ethic proposes that a behavior is valid if you are willing to see it applied as a universal rule.

Learning Objective: 3.2: Explain some of the classic ethical positions that inform communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Some Classic Ethical Positions

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. The principle of utilitarianism argues for the greatest good for the greatest number.

Learning Objective: 3.2: Explain some of the classic ethical positions that inform communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Some Classic Ethical Positions

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. The “Veil of Ignorance” approach asks us to take a dispassionate approach, reviewing all sides of a decision equally.

Learning Objective: 3.2: Explain some of the classic ethical positions that inform communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Some Classic Ethical Positions

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. A major problem with Internet research is establishing the authenticity of individuals in cyberspace.

Learning Objective: 3.6: Identify some of the ethical issues unique to researching human communication on the Internet.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Anonymity and Identification on the Internet

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. It is generally safe to assume that individuals on the Internet are who they say they are.

Learning Objective: 3.6: Identify some of the ethical issues unique to researching human communication on the Internet.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Anonymity and Identification on the Internet

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. Very little Internet content is subject to copyright law.

Learning Objective: 3.6: Identify some of the ethical issues unique to researching human communication on the Internet.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: What Is the Internet?

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. Web survey software guarantees anonymity to Internet survey respondents.

Learning Objective: 3.6: Identify some of the ethical issues unique to researching human communication on the Internet.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Privacy on the Internet

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. Confederates are participants who have been briefed to act in a certain way, essentially “faking it” and deceiving other participants.

Learning Objective: 3.5: Describe how the level of involvement with research participants can shape a researcher’s relationship with them.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Sex, Violence, and Deception

Difficulty Level: Medium

12. When a researcher uses unobtrusive measures, it means the participants don’t know they’re being observed.

Learning Objective: 3.5: Describe how the level of involvement with research participants can shape a researcher’s relationship with them.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Money and Relationships

Difficulty Level: Easy

13. Using deception in research is always unethical.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Honesty

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. Using deception in research is acceptable even if you don’t notify the participants after the study is concluded.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Honesty

Difficulty Level: Medium

15. A research study that finds nothing is an invalid study.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Honesty

Difficulty Level: Medium

16. Confidentiality and anonymity mean the same thing.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Confidentiality and Anonymity

Difficulty Level: Medium

17. When you promise your participants confidentiality, it means while you can identify them as participants, you will not release that information to other people.

Learning Objective: 3.5: Describe how the level of involvement with research participants can shape a researcher’s relationship with them.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Confidentiality and Anonymity

Difficulty Level: Easy

18. When your participants are anonymous, nobody can identify who they are, even the researcher.

Learning Objective: 3.5: Describe how the level of involvement with research participants can shape a researcher’s relationship with them.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Confidentiality and Anonymity

Difficulty Level: Medium

19. Because research studies need a variety of participants, it’s acceptable to pressure people to participate, even those who have said they don’t want to.

Learning Objective: 3.5: Describe how the level of involvement with research participants can shape a researcher’s relationship with them.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Making Generalizations

Difficulty Level: Easy

20. Although a research study only has volunteers who are students, it’s acceptable to generalize to all people.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Making Generalizations

Difficulty Level: Medium

21. Once participants sign consent forms, they’re required to participate in the research study.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Debriefing

Difficulty Level: Easy

22. It is not necessary to explain to readers that deception was used in your research report.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Debriefing

Difficulty Level: Medium

23. Participants have a right to access the results of the study.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Debriefing

Difficulty Level: Easy

24. Articles that do not support your argument should still be included in the literature review.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Literature Review

Difficulty Level: Medium

25. Using summary (secondary), article gets you the same information as using primary (original) sources.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Literature Review

Difficulty Level: Easy

26. Since research studies are written in scholarly style, it’s appropriate for the informed consent documents to be in scholarly style.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Appropriate Language

Difficulty Level: Medium

27. For some studies, the informed consent document will need to be in a language other than English.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Appropriate Language

Difficulty Level: Easy

28. Plagiarism is an unethical representation of others’ work as your own.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Plagiarism

Difficulty Level: Easy

29. Plagiarism can become a copyright issue in the case of proprietary research.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Plagiarism

Difficulty Level: Easy

30. Informant, collaborator, and participant can all mean the same thing in research studies.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: What Should I Call You? The Ethics of Involvement

Difficulty Level: Easy

31. Low-risk studies online require minimal identity verification.

Learning Objective: 3.6: Identify some of the ethical issues unique to researching human communication on the Internet.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Anonymity and Identification on the Internet

Difficulty Level: Easy

32. High-risk studies online require minimal identity verification.

Learning Objective: 3.6: Identify some of the ethical issues unique to researching human communication on the Internet.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Anonymity and Identification on the Internet

Difficulty Level: Easy

33. An important privacy issue in online research is cross-nation data storage.

Learning Objective: 3.6: Identify some of the ethical issues unique to researching human communication on the Internet.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Privacy on the Internet

Difficulty Level: Easy

Essay

1. Explain the different connotations of the following terms for the people in your research: subject, respondent, informant, and collaborator.

Learning Objective: 3.5: Describe how the level of involvement with research participants can shape a researcher’s relationship with them.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: What Should I Call You? The Ethics of Involvement

Difficulty Level: Hard

2. Identify and explain the main ethical responsibilities of communication researchers toward their research participants.

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Ethics Issues in Communication Research

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. Identify the types of human communication research that might potentially cause distress to research participants.

Learning Objective: 3.5: Describe how the level of involvement with research participants can shape a researcher’s relationship with them.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Introduction: Some Ethical Decisions

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. Identify and explain two main points of the 1948 Nuremberg Code.

Learning Objective: 3.3: Describe some of the major contemporary codes of ethics.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Nuremberg Code

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. Identify and explain the main points of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Learning Objective: 3.3: Describe some of the major contemporary codes of ethics.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Declaration of Helsinki

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. The three key principles of the Belmont Report are respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. Explain what, in practice, each of these means.

Learning Objective: 3.3: Describe some of the major contemporary codes of ethics.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Belmont Report

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. Discuss, with examples, whether deceiving participants in a research project is ever justifiable.

Learning Objective: 3.3: Describe some of the major contemporary codes of ethics.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Sex, Violence, and Deception

Difficulty Level: Hard

8. Briefly explain what is meant by the term “peer review.”

Learning Objective: 3.4: Discuss the concepts of peer review and of institutional review boards.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Peer Review and Institutional Review Boards

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. What is the difference between anonymity and confidentiality? How is it relevant for your participants?

Learning Objective: 3.1: Identify major ethics issues in human communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Confidentiality and Anonymity

Difficulty Level: Medium

10. What is the purpose of the IRB?

Learning Objective: 3.4: Discuss the concepts of peer review and of institutional review boards.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Peer Review and Institutional Review Boards

Difficulty Level: Medium

11. Explain the difference between the principle of utilitarianism and the categorical imperative in ethical positions.

Learning Objective: 3.2: Explain some of the classic ethical positions that inform communication research.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Some Classic Ethical Positions

Difficulty Level: Medium

12. Explain the steps involved in getting informed consent from participants.

The consent process must include three elements: information, comprehension, and voluntariness.

Learning Objective: 3.3: Describe some of the major contemporary codes of ethics.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Informed Consent and Debriefing on the Internet

Difficulty Level: Medium

13. Explain the ethical issues related to identifying people in research on the Internet.

Learning Objective: 3.6: Identify some of the ethical issues unique to researching human communication on the Internet.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Anonymity and Identification on the Internet

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. Describe the three-step process for ethical research with social media.

Learning Objective: 3.6: Identify some of the ethical issues unique to researching human communication on the Internet.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Guidelines and Questions for Internet Research

Difficulty Level: Medium