A Primer on Research Ethics in the Field of Gifted Education

Abstract

Most organizations (e.g., institutions of higher education, K-12 school systems) that engage in research with human subjects have institutional review boards (IRBs; also known as research committees) responsible for the oversight of research activities to ensure the ethical treatment of participants. Professional societies such as American Educational Research Association (AERA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) have also developed ethical codes for research activities involving human subjects. Many journals, including GCQ, require that all research considered for publication is accompanied by documentation of review and approval by an IRB or other similar committee. The purpose of this Methodological Brief is to provide researchers, new and experienced, within the field of gifted education a brief introduction to the ethical principles that guide the decision making process of IRBs, to provide examples of what might be considered ethical code violations, and to offer suggestions for working through the review and approval process with IRB officials.¹

Keywords

human subjects research Institutional Review Boards

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