Advance Montessori Education Center of Isabela, Inc.
Maligaya, Tumauini, Isabela
Email: amecimontessori@gmail.com
ELECTIVE 9
LEARNER’S MODULE 1
THIRD QUARTER
(Week 1-2)
January 3-14, 2022
Name: ________________________________________________
Grade and Section: _____________________
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this module, the learner should be able to:
 define Research Ethics;
 enumerate different Research Ethics;
Overview:
When most people think of ethics (or morals), they think of rules for distinguishing between right or
wrong, such as the Golden rule (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you) or a wise aphorisms
like the sayings of Confucius. This is the most common way of defining “ethics”: norms for conduct that
distinguish between acceptable and acceptable behavior.
In this module, you will understand the different ethics that must be applied in preparing, conducting,
and analyzing a research. Also, through the given activities, this module will help you acquire knowledge on
deciding on how to act and for analyzing complex problems and issues.
PRE-ASSESSMENT
Directions: Read the given proposal which involves an ethical issue and answer the question
below.
Charlotte wants to research the effect of labeling students (gifted vs. struggling) on their achievement
in second grade. She proposes that students in an elementary school’s second grade be divided into reading
groups in which ability levels (as determined by previous test scores) are evenly mixed. One group will be
told they are gifted readers, another group will be told nothing at all. Charlotte theorizes that by the end of
the second-grade year, the students in the “gifted” level group will outperform those in the “struggling” group
on the same reading test.
Question:
a. What are the potential harms in the study?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
1|P age
RESEARCH ETHICS
Research ethics provides guidelines for the responsible conduct of research. In addition, it educates
and monitors scientists conducting research to ensure a high ethical standard. All research involves ethical
considerations. Such concerns do not mean that the research is unethical but rather that the researcher
must do whatever she or he can to minimize ethical risks. Review boards, professionals who look over
research proposals to safeguard participants and researchers. There are few hard-and-fast rules about what
is and is not acceptable.
Common Ethical Concerns include:
 Voluntary participation
 Your participants are free to opt in or out of the study at any point in time.
Voluntary participation means that all research subjects are free to choose to participate without any
pressure or coercion. All participants are able to withdraw from, or leave, the study at any point without
feeling an obligation to continue. Your participants don’t need to provide a reason for leaving the study. It’s
important to make it clear to participants that there are no negative consequences or repercussions to their
refusal to participate. After all, they’re taking the time to help you in the research process, so you should
respect their decisions without trying to change their minds. Voluntary participation is an ethical principle
protected by international law and many scientific codes of conduct. Take special care to ensure there’s no
pressure on participants when you’re working with vulnerable groups of people who may find it hard to stop
the study even when they want to.
Example of voluntary participation
When recruiting participants for an experiment, you inform all potential participants that they are
free to choose whether they want to participate, and they can withdraw from the study anytime
without any negative repercussions.
 Informed consent
 People should not be forced to be into research.
 People have the right to withdraw from the research at any time with no penalty.
 There should be informed consent. If deception is involved, there should be a debriefing.
 To consent, people must be told something about the purpose of the research.
Informed consent refers to a situation in which all potential participants receive and understand all
the information they need to decide whether they want to participate. This includes information about the
study’s benefits, risks, funding, and institutional approval. Usually, you’ll provide participants with a text
for them to read and ask them if they have any questions. If they agree to participate, they can sign or initial
the consent form. Note that this may not be sufficient for informed consent when you work with particularly
vulnerable groups of people. If you’re collecting data from people with low literacy, make sure to verbally
explain the consent form to them before they agree to participate.
For participants with very limited English proficiency, you should always translate the study materials
or work with an interpreter so they have all the information in their first language. In research with children,
you’ll often need informed permission for their participation from their parents or guardians. Although
children cannot give informed consent, it’s best to also ask for their assent (agreement) to participate,
depending on their age and maturity level.
Example of informed consent
You recruit participants outside a train station for a quick survey.
You make sure to provide all potential participants with all the relevant information about
 what the study is about
 the risks and benefits of taking part
 how long the study will take
 your supervisor’s contact information and the institution’s approval number
You also let them know that their data will be kept confidential, and they are free to stop
filling in the survey at any point for any reason. They can also withdraw their information by
2|P age
contacting you or your supervisor.
 Anonymity
 The source of the data should be anonymous or kept confidential to protect people’s privacy.
Anonymity means that you don’t know who the participants are and you can’t link any individual
participant to their data. You can only guarantee anonymity by not collecting any personally identifying
information—for example, names, phone numbers, email addresses, IP addresses, physical characteristics,
photos, and videos.
In many cases, it may be impossible to truly anonymize data collection. For example, data collected
in person or by phone cannot be considered fully anonymous because some personal identifiers
(demographic information or phone numbers) are impossible to hide. You’ll also need to collect some
identifying information if you give your participants the option to withdraw their data at a later stage.
Data pseudonymization is an alternative method where you replace identifying information about
participants with pseudonymous, or fake, identifiers. The data can still be linked to participants but it’s
harder to do so because you separate personal information from the study data.
Example of data pseudonymization
You’re conducting a survey with college students. You ask participants to enter demographic
information including their age, gender, nationality, and ethnicity. With all this information, it
may be possible for other people to identify individual participants, so you pseudonymize the
data.
Each participant is given a random three-digit number. You separate their personally
identifying information from their survey data and include the participant numbers in both
files. The survey data can only be linked to personally identifying data via the participant
numbers.
 Confidentiality
Confidentiality means that you know who the participants are, but you remove all identifying
information from your report. All participants have a right to privacy, so you should protect their personal
data for as long as you store or use it. Even when you can’t collect data anonymously, you should secure
confidentiality whenever you can.
Example of confidentiality
To keep your data confidential, you take steps to safeguard it and prevent any threats to data
privacy. You store all signed consent forms in a locked file drawer, and you password-protect
all files with survey data.
Only other researchers approved by the IRB are allowed to access the study data, and you
make sure that everyone knows and follows your institution’s data privacy protocols.
Some research designs aren’t conducive to confidentiality, but it’s important to make all attempts
and inform participants of the risks involved.
Example of focus group confidentiality
In a focus group study, you invite five people to give their opinions on a new student service in
a group setting.
Before beginning the study, you ask everyone to agree to keep what’s discussed confidential
and to respect each other’s privacy. You also note that you cannot completely guarantee
confidentiality or anonymity so that participants are aware of the risks involved.
 Long-term harm
3|P age
 While it is acceptable to cause people minor discomfort during the research, no lasting physical or
psychological harm should result from their participation.
 Potential for Harm
As a researcher, you have to consider all possible sources of harm to participants. Harm can come in
many different forms.
 Psychological harm: Sensitive questions or tasks may trigger negative emotions such as shame
or anxiety.
 Social harm: Participation can involve social risks, public embarrassment, or stigma.
 Physical harm: Pain or injury can result from the study procedures.
 Legal harm: Reporting sensitive data could lead to legal risks or a breach of privacy.
It’s best to consider every possible source of harm in your study as well as concrete ways to mitigate
them. Involve your supervisor to discuss steps for harm reduction.
Make sure to disclose all possible risks of harm to participants before the study to get informed
consent. If there is a risk of harm, prepare to provide participants with resources or counseling or medical
services if needed.
Example of potential for harm
In a study on stress, you survey college students on their alcohol consumption habits.
Some of these questions may bring up negative emotions, so you inform participants about the
sensitive nature of the survey and assure them that their responses will be confidential.
You also provide participants with information about student counseling services and
information about managing alcohol use after the survey is complete.
 Results Communication
 You ensure your work is free of plagiarism or research misconduct, and you accurately represent your
results.
The way you communicate your research results can sometimes involve ethical issues. Good science
communication is honest, reliable, and credible. It’s best to make your results as transparent as possible.
Take steps to actively avoid plagiarism and research misconduct wherever possible.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism means submitting others’ works as your own. Although it can be unintentional, copying
someone else’s work without proper credit amounts to stealing. It’s an ethical problem in research
communication because you may benefit by harming other researchers.
Work on this!
ACTIVITY 1
Directions: Imagine that you are one of the review boards, read the given
proposal which involves an ethical issue and answer the
questions below.
A.
The British leader of the research team that cloned Dolly the sheep has strongly endorsed US moves to
outlaw the cloning of human beings. But he said that he has no ethical objection to the use of his technique to
create for research purposes human embryos that are not implanted.
Questions:
4|P age
a. What additional information might you want to know about the study in order to decide whether
or not it should be approved?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
b. What are the benefits that might result from this research? What are the potential harms?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
B.
Charlotte wants to research the effect of labeling students (gifted vs. struggling) on their achievement in
second grade. She proposes that students in an elementary school’s second grade be divided into reading
groups in which ability levels (as determined by previous test scores) are evenly mixed. One group will be
told they are gifted readers, another group will be told nothing at all. Charlotte theorizes that by the end of
the second-grade year, the students in the “gifted” level group will outperform those in the “struggling”
group on the same reading test.
Questions:
a. What additional information might you want to know about the study in order to decide whether
or not it should be approved?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
b. What are the benefits that might result from this research? What are the potential harms?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
REFERENCES:
 Allyson J. Weseley, EdD, Roslyn High School, Roslyn Heights, NY, Research Ethics, Activity 4.1.
 https://libguides.library.cityu.edu.hk/researchmethods/ethics
 https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/research-ethics/

Prepared by:
Checked by:
PAULINE FAYE B. AGTARAP
Science Teacher/Co-Coordinator
ALEX G. SORIANO
Subject Coordinator
Recommending Approval:
Approved by:
REYCHELA C. FORTO
Head, JHS Dept.
JERIC T. VALDEZ
Principal
Noted by:
NELIA Z. ANGULUAN, PHD
Director
5|P age
Advance Montessori Education Center of Isabela, Inc.
Maligaya, Tumauini, Isabela
Email: amecimontessori@gmail.com
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IN ELECTIVE 9
Week 1 and 2
Name: _________________________________________
Date: ________________
Grade & Section: ________________________________
Score: _______________
Directions: Read carefully every item and choose the letter of your answer. Write your answer on the space
provided before the number.
____ 1. Which of the following BEST describes research ethics?
a. It is the attitude shown by the participants in a research study.
b. It is the standard attitude that a researcher must possess.
c. It educates and monitors scientists conducting research to ensure a high ethical standard.
d. It provides ethical standards how to format a research.
____ 2. Who are the professionals who look over research proposals to safeguard participants and
researchers?
a. Review Board
b. Research Board
c. Panelist
d. All of the above.
____ 3. Which of the following choices in NOT included in common ethical concerns?
a. Confidentiality
b. Voluntary Participation c. Anonymity
d. Integrity and Honesty
____ 4. You’re conducting a survey with college students. You ask participants to enter demographic
information including their age, gender, nationality, and ethnicity but not their names. What type of
ethical concern is being describe in the situation?
a. Long term Harm
b. Anonymity
c. Confidentiality
d. Informed Consent
_____ 5. Before beginning the study, you ask everyone to agree to keep what’s discussed confidential and to
respect each other’s privacy. What type of ethical concern is being describe in the situation?
a. Long term Harm
b. Anonymity
c. Confidentiality
d. Informed Consent
_____ 6. Which ethical concern refers to a situation in which all potential participants receive and understand
all the information they need to decide whether they want to participate?
a. Informed Consent
b. Result Communication c. Potential for Harm
d. Anonymity
_____ 7. Which ethical concern refers to ensuring your work is free of plagiarism or research misconduct,
and you accurately represent your results?
a. Results Communication b. Long-term harm
c. Potential for Harm
d. Confidentiality
_____ 8. Which of the following BEST defines Data pseudonymization?
a. An alternative method where you replace identifying information about participants with
pseudonymous, or fake, identifiers.
b. An alternative method where you replace the responses of participants with better responses.
c. A method where you retain the identifying information about participants.
d. None of the above.
_____ 9. Which of the following statements does NOT describe Informed consent?
a. People should be forced to be into research.
b. People have the right to withdraw from the research at any time with no penalty.
c. There should be informed consent. If deception is involved, there should be a debriefing.
6|P age
d. To consent, people must be told something about the purpose of the research.
_____ 10. “You have to consider all possible sources of harm to participants.” This statement best describe
what ethical concern?
a. Results Communication b. Long-term harm
c. Potential for Harm
d. Confidentiality
Prepared by:
Checked by:
PAULINE FAYE B. AGTARAP
Science Teacher/Co-Coordinator
ALEX G. SORIANO
Subject Coordinator
Recommending Approval:
Approved by:
REYCHELA C. FORTO
Head, JHS Dept.
JERIC T. VALDEZ
Principal
Noted by:
NELIA Z. ANGULUAN, PHD
Director
7|P age