ENERI Decision Tree

What is this about?

The ENERI Decision Tree is an online tool intended to help researchers, members of research ethics committees (RECs) and research integrity officers to anticipate, reflect and address ethical questions and challenges that might arise before, during or after a research project. Thus, the ENERI Decision Tree aims to facilitate responsible conduct of research throughout all phases of the research process. Moreover, it seeks to support the work of RECs and research integrity offices (RIOs) by providing guidance on how to respond to research ethics and research integrity challenges.

Why is this important?

New and emerging technologies as well as the globalization of research and the rise of multi-center studies, to name just a few, have brought numerous challenges in terms of research ethics and research integrity. Based to a large extent on the ENERI Research Ethics and Research Integrity Manual, the Decision Tree guides researchers as well as members of RECs and RIOs through several of these challenges and provides them with tools to conduct research ethically and with integrity. More specifically, the Decision Tree includes summaries of and links to laws, guidelines, codes and other pertinent references. In this way, it covers the international, European and national levels, all of which researchers, RECs and RIOs usually need to consider.

The ENERI Decision Tree is based on three premises:

1) Good researchers should reflect on and respond to ethical issues and challenges before, during and after conducting their research.

2) RECs should help researchers in doing good research.

3) RIOs should assist researchers in monitoring their research.

The information in the Decision Tree is structured around the following topics:

Responsibility in research

Research as a social practice
The legal framework of research

Planning of the research

Cross-national and international multi central research
Responsibility in authorship
Research with human participants: general provisions
Research with animals
Research in biotechnology
Research in engineering, AI and robotics
Research in biotechnology for agricultural and food purposes (outside of the biomedical sector)
Research on human remains
Study design and objectives, avoiding bias
The role of funders
Research with personal data

The actual research process

Research with humans in biomedical research
Research with human tissues/cells
Research with embryonic stem cells, embryos, fetal tissues
Research with samples and data taken from human biobanks
Research with human participants in psychology
Research with human participants - qualitative research
Research with human beings in implementing technology/devices
Research on the environment
Minimal disturbance to the integrity of nature
Monitoring animal welfare
Making uncertainties and value assumptions explicit
Dealing adequately with big data and complexity

Quality assurance and dissemination

Sharing results in the scientific community, with the public and with stakeholders
Mechanisms for quality assurance
Were the methods and tools adequate for the claimed result? (under development)
Publication as public knowledge (under development)
Open science or restricted access (under development)
Stakeholder consultations (under development)

Applications and monitoring

Dual use and misuse
Evaluation of success and failure (under development)
Consultation with beneficiaries and stakeholders (under development)
Assess necessity of retractions (under development)
Re-start the research afresh (under development)

Each topic is a self-contained unit so that users can easily find tailored information to specific questions without having to read the whole Decision Tree. Like the ENERI Manual on Research Ethics and Research Integrity, the Decision Tree is a living document and will thus be updated periodically to account for new developments in research ethics and research integrity processes and policies.

For whom is this important?

All stakeholders in researchResearch Integrity OfficersResearch integrity trainersresearch integrity researchersEthics committee membersResearch Ethics CommitteesResearchers

What are the best practices?

The ENERI Decision Tree summarizes and links to many important laws, regulations, codes and other documents that can help researchers to work ethically and with integrity and that can support RECs and RIOs in performing their roles adequately and fulfilling their responsibilities. More detailed information on all topics covered in the Decision Tree is available in the ENERI Manual on Research Ethics and Research Integrity. Besides, the ENERI Classroom as well as the VIRT2UE Training Guide provide access to educational materials on research ethics and research integrity that help fostering skills conducive to ethical reflection.

Furthermore, the cases in the resources section of the Embassy as well as the educational scenarios developed by EnTIRE that are available in the educational resources section can be used for further reflections and deliberations on specific research ethics and research integrity problems.

Other information

Who