Neur 604: Ethics in Scientific Research

Wed 12:00 - 2:45, Krasnow Institute, Room 229

Avrama Blackwell

avrama@gmu.edu, 703 993-4381

Office Hours: Wed 3:00 - 4:30, Krasnow Institute, Room 220

GOALS

            To learn how to use major ethical and moral principles to exam ethical issues in scientific research. To provides skills for survival in scientific research through training in moral reasoning, and teaching of responsible conduct. Students learn to apply critical thinking skills to the design, execution and analysis of experiments and to the analysis of current ethical issues in research. Such issues include the use of animals and humans in research, ethical standards in the computer community, and research fraud. In addition, currently accepted guidelines for behavior in areas such as data ownership, manuscript preparation, and conduct of persons in authority are presented and discussed in terms of relevant ethical issues.

READING AND REFERENCE MATERIALS:

Scientific Integrity, Francis L. Macrina, ASM Press, 3^rd Edition

Ethics and Computing, Kevin W. Bowyer, IEEE Press, 2^nd Edition

Current Journal Articles

GRADING AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS

            Each class consists of lecture, and discussion of cases from text and current articles from journals and newspapers. Students are expected to participate in class discussions.

            Homework consists of reading the assigned chapter prior to class, reading at least one case in the text, and preparing a written summary of the issues for that case from which you could make an oral presentation. Written summaries will be collected every week. Each student will be expected to present a case orally once every three to four weeks.

            The final project is to prepare and present (orally and written) a position paper on a current ethical issue at the end of the semester.

GRADING:

Written summaries: 20% (Late summaries will not be accepted.)

Class participation, including presentation of cases: 10%

Project: 70%

              Project topic and list of resources: 5%, Due 04/04

              Outline of project: 5%, Due 04/11

              Expanded outline (with topic sentences): 15%, Due 04/18

              Final project: 45%, Due 05/02

                        Written (25%)

                        Oral (20%)

The purpose of the project topic and outlines is to help students organize their projects, and to provide feedback both on content and writing style. Late topics and outlines will be accepted, but will be marked down one letter grade for each day late.