Aim of the course: This two-day course invites students in various stages of their doctoral thesis to think through, write and process the ethical questions and themes in their own ongoing research projects. It provides a compact knowledge package on ethical issues concerning the research design, data collection/field work and writing-up phases. The course consists of lectures, discussion & student presentations in class and a pre-assignment.

Learning outcomes: After the course, students will
- be better equipped to think about and deal with ethical issues at different phases of their research projects
- have skills to discuss and identify issues concerning the ethics both in relation to research participant and the academic community (treatment of participants, informed consent, data lifespan, publication and ethical reporting)
- have knowledge on the key guidelines concerning ethical conduct and know where to go for further information
- have practical tools and means for the writing-up of ethical question in the doctoral thesis.
- have access to an information package on ethics

Course Schedule:

Tue 31.01.2012, (Room: Virta Ls. 120)
10.15-11.00     Welcome and a summary on themes raised in the pre-assignments
11.00-12.15    Ethics, researcher skills and the doctoral process
12.15-13.15    lunch
13.15-14.30    Data sets, research questions and ethics
14.30-14.45    coffee break
14.45-16.00    Ethical questions at different phases of the doctoral process:  Feedback and supervision

Tue 07.02.2012, (Room: Virta Ls. 120)
10.15-11.15    Ethical questions at different phases of the doctoral process: data collection, facing/dealing with participants & data, writing-up
11.15-12.00    Securing the data lifespan: The ethics of recycling and data archiving
12.00 - 13.00    lunch
13.15-16.00    Discussion on students' research projects and ethical questions

PLEASE NOTE: Students are selected on a first-come, first served -basis. Those accepted to the course are required to send in a pre-assignment (max one page A 4) through Moodle (course password will be sent by email).  Dead line for pre-assignments is Mon 23.01.2011.

THE PRE-ASSIGNMENT: Please include the following in short:
1)    Your name & discipline
2)    Your research topic
3)    Potential ethical issues you have encountered or anticipate to encounter as part of your doctoral research and solutions you may already have in mind
4)    Any issues relating to research ethics you wish to be discussed during the course
5)     Please indicate in case you are willing to present some key ethical themes concerning your own doctoral work (2+1 ECTS to those presenting)