Student Memory Support
Research Ethics, Research Misconduct and Referencing
3rd Year MBBS • Infection and Inflammation • High-yield memory reinforcement and last-minute revision
1. High-Yield Flashcards
Tap each question to reveal the answer.
What is research ethics?
Moral principles that guide the planning, conduct and reporting of research.
Which ethical principle protects a participant’s right to make a voluntary decision?
Autonomy.
Which ethical principle means promoting benefit?
Beneficence.
Which ethical principle means avoiding or minimizing unnecessary harm?
Non-maleficence.
Which ethical principle requires fair distribution of research benefits and burdens?
Justice.
Which ethical theory emphasizes duties and moral rules?
Deontology.
Which ethical theory judges actions mainly by their consequences and overall benefit?
Utilitarianism.
Which ethical theory focuses on honesty, integrity and moral character?
Virtue ethics.
What is fabrication in research?
Making up data or results that never existed.
What is falsification in research?
Manipulating research materials, methods or existing data so the research record becomes inaccurate.
What is plagiarism?
Using another person’s words, ideas or work without proper acknowledgment.
What is a citation?
A brief in-text indication linking information to its source.
What is a reference?
The full identifying details of a source cited in the work.
What is a bibliography?
A broader list of sources consulted, including material that may not have been directly cited.
Which referencing style is commonly used in medicine and uses numbered citations?
Vancouver style.
2. Mnemonics
Mnemonic Title: Four Core Ethical Principles
Mnemonic Word: ABNJ
Meaning: Autonomy • Beneficence • Non-maleficence • Justice
Mnemonic Title: Major Ethical Theories
Mnemonic Word: DUV
Meaning: Deontology = Duty • Utilitarianism = Utility/overall benefit • Virtue ethics = Virtuous character
Mnemonic Title: Research Misconduct
Mnemonic Word: M-A-C
Meaning: Fabrication = Make data • Falsification = Alter data • Plagiarism = Copy/credit missing
3. Memory Tables
Research Misconduct: Quick Differentiation
| Type | Core Action | Memory Clue |
|---|---|---|
| Fabrication | Invents data | Data never existed |
| Falsification | Alters existing data | Real data changed |
| Plagiarism | Uses work without credit | Attribution missing |
Citation vs Reference vs Bibliography
| Term | What It Means | Location/Use |
|---|---|---|
| Citation | Brief source marker | Within the text |
| Reference | Full source details | Usually at the end |
| Bibliography | Broader consulted-source list | May include uncited sources |
4. Rapid Revision Points — Last-Minute Revision
Must Remember:
- Research ethics protects participant rights, dignity and safety.
- Autonomy = informed and voluntary decision-making.
- Beneficence promotes benefit; non-maleficence minimizes avoidable harm.
- Justice requires fair distribution of research burdens and benefits.
- Deontology focuses on duty; utilitarianism focuses on consequences; virtue ethics focuses on character.
- Fabrication creates data that never existed.
- Falsification manipulates data or the research process.
- Plagiarism includes unattributed ideas even when the wording is changed.
- Citation is the in-text source link; reference gives full source details.
- Bibliography may include sources consulted but not directly cited.
- Vancouver uses numbered citations and is commonly used in medical writing; use the style required by the institution or journal consistently.
Common KMU Trap: Fabrication = inventing data; falsification = changing existing data.
5. Clinical Memory Hooks
Participant is pressured to join a study → autonomy and voluntary participation are compromised.
Research procedure creates avoidable risk → non-maleficence requires risk reduction.
Invented laboratory results for participants who never existed → fabrication.
Real study values altered to support the hypothesis → falsification.
Another author’s idea paraphrased without acknowledgment → plagiarism.
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6. Starred High-Yield Exam Point
- ⭐ Autonomy = respect for informed and voluntary participant choice.
- ⭐ Beneficence = promote benefit; non-maleficence = avoid unnecessary harm.
- ⭐ Justice = fair selection and fair distribution of research burdens and benefits.
- ⭐ Fabrication = invent data; falsification = alter existing data.
- ⭐ Plagiarism = using another person’s words or ideas without proper acknowledgment.
- ⭐ Citation is the brief in-text source marker; reference gives complete source details.
- ⭐ Vancouver is the key numbered referencing style to recognize in medical research.