To integrate research ethics into the planning of the research improves the quality of the research while it also saves time. This is well-established praxis within some, but not all, academic communities. Jerker Widengren, professor of experimental biomolecular physics, gives some advice for those planning their research.

To plan to handle ethical difficulties in good time makes it easier. At that point, research methodology, dissemination approaches, staffing, budget or collaborative partners may all be adapted in order to integrate research purposes with ethical concerns. More complicated ethical challenges are then less obstructing and may even be made opportunities for further research questions, for example by associating philosophers that may provide advise, do research and thus enrich the project.

Barbro Fröding is associate professor in philosophy and presently part of the Stockholm Senseable Lab-project. This is her thoughts on integrating research ethics into a large, international project spanning over a very long time.

* To integrate ethics in research planning enrich the quality and novelty of the research, while also avoiding expensive and cumbersome "fixes". *

Please go on to the next module where the focus is on assessing research activities.