ABSTRACT
A number of professional research societies have developed and issued documents to articulate ethical values embedded in research and set standards for best practice. These documents are variously referred to as codes of ethics, voluntary codes, codes of practice, statements on ethics, guidelines and research protocols. In many cases there is little distinction between them; for the purposes of this chapter we will use the terms code of ethics (codes) and research guidelines (guidelines) to describe two broad categories of document. Codes of ethics articulate underlying principles and the philosophical basis for research. Research guidelines outline standards of practice, and although some stand alone, they are also appended to codes of ethics to provide practical guidance. These might include: guidelines for publications and databases; guidelines for disposition, or distribution and use, of collected materials; guidelines for students; or guidelines for commercial research.
