Perceptions of Ethics in Research Among Graduate Students in a Regional University in Kazakhstan

• In Event: Poster Session 9
  In Poster Session: Perceptions of Ethics in Research Among Graduate Students in a Regional University in Kazakhstan

Proposal

This study explores the perceptions and understanding of academic ethics in research among graduate students at a regional university in Kazakhstan, with particular emphasis on how students viewed research ethics, challenges of following research ethics, and utilizing inquiry methods influencing perceptions of research ethics. The research focuses on 19 graduate students from a university who participated in a research methods workshop over a two-day period. The workshop was led by faculty from the US and Kazakhstan. The primary objective was to promote ethical research standards among emerging Kazakhstani students. By centering on the values and practices of the ethical treatment of human participants, culture, data protection, and value of ethical and responsible human protocols in research, the workshop created a platform for discussions on research integrity, ethical compliance, and adherence to international norms (Resnick, 2020).
We conducted a qualitative study (Merriam, 2009) and collected data through written Q&A form. We analyzed data using thematic content analysis. Emerging themes were categorized and interpreted descriptively.
Findings of the study show three key aspects of research and the value of research ethics in participating students. (i) Raising awareness for Intellectual Discovery: Many students felt that they knew the value of ethical research. Some of them stated that they followed some kind of ethical guidelines when they carried out their thesis as undergraduates. Some mentioned that they discussed research ethics in their “methods courses…made aware of [ethics] by their [professors]". Similarly, a participant “view[ed] research [and] ethics as an essential tool for intellectual discovery— means to test, refine, and expand on existing knowledge.” (ii) Plagiarism: A Fear of All Fears: Plagiarism seemed to be the key connection to ethics in research. Every participant mentioned that they utilized some kind of plagiarism-detecting software for the papers they wrote for finals and assignments. Furthermore, some found “hard to know how to properly cite sources or how to use information from interviews or surveys”. Every participant was very worried about how they could slip into plagiarizing something that they didn’t “intend” to. Furthermore, students from the linguistic major were concerned about "making errors in translation ... and happen[ing] to plagiarize". (iii) Human dignity: Most participants pointed out that human dignity is a core aspect of research. A student mentioned, “My understanding of ethics in research is anchored in the principle of respect for human dignity.” Many students also articulated that, especially in linguistic research with translation as a core topic “did not require direct interaction with people”; yet, “I recognize the vital role ethics plays when dealing with language and translation, one must be aware of the cultural and historical context embedded in texts”. These contexts raise different kinds of ethical awareness and needs that are place-informed.
The findings indicate that targeted ethics workshops contributed to raising awareness about research ethics among graduate students and highlight persistent concerns regarding ethical violations (Steneck, 2007; Resnik, 2020). Furthermore, comprehensive ethics education, combined with systematic review mechanisms, is essential to ensure academic integrity and to strengthen ethical research practices in the region.

Authors

• Saule Sadykova, Zhubanov University

• Bhaskar Upadhyay, University of Minnesota - Minneapolis, MN (06940)