[Text Version] for the Sound Development of Science
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[Text version] For the Sound Development of Science -The Attitude of a Conscientious Scientist- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Editing Committee “For the Sound Development of Science” Introduction Scientific research is an activity in which we, motivated by intellectual curiosity and a desire for exploration, seek to understand truths about various phenomena surrounding us, how they happen, what causes them to happen. Scientific research is advancing through an accumulation of effort made by many who came before us. Today, scientific results are indispensable to people’s lives, with science making extremely significant impacts on society, particularly over recent years. While proud of this fact, scientists also realize that it places upon them weighty responsibilities and expectations. Meanwhile, scientific research has unfortunately seen cases in which the “pursuit of truth,” science’s most inherent value, is to one degree or another neglected. Should these cases continue to occur, trust in science may be lost, threatening its sound advancement. Responsible scientists must, themselves, respond to these cases in appropriate ways: All scientists need to be perceptive of the true nature of scientific research and of the proper comportment of a principled investigator. They must also take proper care in guiding younger generations. This book compiles essential points on how people engaging in research in all fields from the humanities and social sciences to natural sciences (hereafter referred to as “scientists”) should conduct their research and communicate their results within the science community and to the larger society. To that end, the book begins with a section on “What Is a Responsible Research Activity?” Consisting of eight sections, it concludes with a section on “For the Progress of Society.” The book contains what one should know while engaged in research, including ethical considerations, code of conduct, methods of presenting research results, appropriate uses of research funds, and other points to bear in mind as a scientist. To advance science, it is essential that scientists treasure their intellectual curiosity, conducting research creatively in a free environment. While this book stipulates various restrictions and rules related to research, it is important to emphasize that, while scientists should learn from ethics programs and guidelines, they should not be overly constrain by them. This book has been edited by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), an agency that provides “kakenhi” Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, which established an editing committee in multi-faceted collaboration with the Science Council of Japan and experts affiliated with the Japan Science and Technology Agency and various universities. The committee receives advice from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Scientific research is advancing day by day. While the most fundamental parts of this book will not change significantly in the future, it is possible that transitions over the passage of time will lead to minor adjustments in its content. When such cases happen, it may be necessary to revise the book’s content as appropriate. It is our hope that this book will be used at research sites all around Japan, and that it will contribute to the sound advancement of science. February 2015 Editing Committee “For the Sound Development of Science” Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (an independent administrative institution) Committee members: Makoto Asashima (Chairman; JSPS Executive Director), Iekuni Ichikawa (Fellow Professor, Shinshu University), Nobuhide Kasagi (Principal Fellow, Japan Science and Technology Agency), Yoshiaki Kobayashi (Former Vice President, Science Council of Japan; Professor, Keio University), Manabu Sato (Professor, Gakushuin University), Masaki Nakamura (Associate Professor, Osaka University), Takashi Hata (Professor, Tohoku University), Yoshio Higuchi (Professor, Keio University), Jun Fudano (Professor, Kanazawa Institute of Technology), Saku Machino (Professor Emeritus, Sophia University), Tsuyoshi Matsumoto (Fellow Associate Professor, Nagoya University) Shigeaki Yamazaki (Professor, Aichi Shukutoku University), Jumpei Watanabe (JSPS Executive Director), and observers (MEXT officials) Collaborators: Subcommittee for Research Ethics Educational Program, Committee for Scientific Research Integrity, Science Council of Japan Yuji Kohara (Project Professor, National Institute of Genetics), Tetsuo Kidokoro (Associate Professor, The University of Tokyo), Hiromi Yokoyama (Associate Professor, The University of Tokyo), Hiroaki Aihara (Professor, The University of Tokyo), Tadashi Karube (Professor, The University of Tokyo), and Hideaki Kawabata (Associate Professor, Keio University) Table of Contents Section I: What Is a Responsible Research Activity? ................................................. 7 1. Responsible Research Activity: Why Now? ............................................................ 8 2. Responsibility for Proper Research Conduct within Society ................................ 8 2.1. Science and Society ........................................................................................... 8 2.2. Responsibility to Science and Society .............................................................. 9 2.3. Research Integrity ............................................................................................ 9 2.4. Compliance with Laws and Regulations ....................................................... 10 2.5. Role of Scientists in Society ........................................................................... 10 3. What Is Demanded of Scientists Today ............................................................... 11 Column ...................................................................................................................... 12 Section II: Planning Research .................................................................................. 13 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 14 2. Value and Responsibility of Research .................................................................. 14 2.1. Purpose of the Research: What Research Is For ........................................... 15 2.2. Appropriateness of Research .......................................................................... 15 2.3. Shared Objectives in Joint Research ............................................................. 16 3. Freedom in Research and What Is to Be Protected—Safety, Health, and Welfare of Humankind and the Sustainability of the Environment ................................ 16 3.1. What Is to Be Protected ................................................................................. 16 3.2. What Is to Be Protected in Research with Human Subjects ........................ 17 3.3. Safety Consideration in the Research Environment ..................................... 18 4. Measures to Avoid Conflicts of Interest ............................................................... 19 5. Security Consideration ......................................................................................... 21 5.1. Security Export Control of Subtleties and Other Technologies .................... 22 5.2. Dual-Use Issues .............................................................................................. 23 6. Compliance with Laws and Regulations .............................................................. 24 Section III: Conducting Research ............................................................................ 28 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 29 2. Informed Consent ................................................................................................. 29 2.1. Concept and Necessity of Informed Consent ................................................. 30 2.2. Components and Procedures of Informed Consent ....................................... 31 2.2.1. Information .................................................................................................. 31 2.2.2. Comprehension ............................................................................................ 32 2.2.3. Voluntariness ............................................................................................. 313 2.2.4. Items to be considered in obtaining informed consent ............................... 33 3. Protecting Personal Information .......................................................................... 34 3.1. Definition of “Personal Information” ............................................................. 35 3.2. Linkable Anonymizing and Non-Linkable Anonymizing .............................. 35 3.3. Scientists’ Responsibility for Personal Information in Conducting Research ................................................................................................................................ 36 3.4. Handling Personal Information in the Humanities and Social Sciences ..... 36 4. Collecting, Managing, and Processing Data ........................................................ 37 4.1. Data and Their Importance ............................................................................ 37 4.2. Purposes of Lab Notes .................................................................................... 38 4.3.