ethics case study paper example

McCombs School of Business

• Español ( Spanish )

Videos Concepts Unwrapped View All 36 short illustrated videos explain behavioral ethics concepts and basic ethics principles. Concepts Unwrapped: Sports Edition View All 10 short videos introduce athletes to behavioral ethics concepts. Ethics Defined (Glossary) View All 58 animated videos - 1 to 2 minutes each - define key ethics terms and concepts. Ethics in Focus View All One-of-a-kind videos highlight the ethical aspects of current and historical subjects. Giving Voice To Values View All Eight short videos present the 7 principles of values-driven leadership from Gentile's Giving Voice to Values. In It To Win View All A documentary and six short videos reveal the behavioral ethics biases in super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff's story. Scandals Illustrated View All 30 videos - one minute each - introduce newsworthy scandals with ethical insights and case studies. Video Series

Case Studies UT Star Icon

Case Studies

More than 70 cases pair ethics concepts with real world situations. From journalism, performing arts, and scientific research to sports, law, and business, these case studies explore current and historic ethical dilemmas, their motivating biases, and their consequences. Each case includes discussion questions, related videos, and a bibliography.

A Million Little Pieces

James Frey’s popular memoir stirred controversy and media attention after it was revealed to contain numerous exaggerations and fabrications.

Abramoff: Lobbying Congress

Super-lobbyist Abramoff was caught in a scheme to lobby against his own clients. Was a corrupt individual or a corrupt system – or both – to blame?

Apple Suppliers & Labor Practices

Is tech company Apple, Inc. ethically obligated to oversee the questionable working conditions of other companies further down their supply chain?

Approaching the Presidency: Roosevelt & Taft

Some presidents view their responsibilities in strictly legal terms, others according to duty. Roosevelt and Taft took two extreme approaches.

Appropriating “Hope”

Fairey’s portrait of Barack Obama raised debate over the extent to which an artist can use and modify another’s artistic work, yet still call it one’s own.

Arctic Offshore Drilling

Competing groups frame the debate over oil drilling off Alaska’s coast in varying ways depending on their environmental and economic interests.

Banning Burkas: Freedom or Discrimination?

The French law banning women from wearing burkas in public sparked debate about discrimination and freedom of religion.

Birthing Vaccine Skepticism

Wakefield published an article riddled with inaccuracies and conflicts of interest that created significant vaccine hesitancy regarding the MMR vaccine.

Blurred Lines of Copyright

Marvin Gaye’s Estate won a lawsuit against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for the hit song “Blurred Lines,” which had a similar feel to one of his songs.

Bullfighting: Art or Not?

Bullfighting has been a prominent cultural and artistic event for centuries, but in recent decades it has faced increasing criticism for animal rights’ abuse.

Buying Green: Consumer Behavior

Do purchasing green products, such as organic foods and electric cars, give consumers the moral license to indulge in unethical behavior?

Cadavers in Car Safety Research

Engineers at Heidelberg University insist that the use of human cadavers in car safety research is ethical because their research can save lives.

Cardinals’ Computer Hacking

St. Louis Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa hacked into the Houston Astros’ webmail system, leading to legal repercussions and a lifetime ban from MLB.

Cheating: Atlanta’s School Scandal

Teachers and administrators at Parks Middle School adjust struggling students’ test scores in an effort to save their school from closure.

Cheating: Sign-Stealing in MLB

The Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scheme rocked the baseball world, leading to a game-changing MLB investigation and fallout.

Cheating: UNC’s Academic Fraud

UNC’s academic fraud scandal uncovered an 18-year scheme of unchecked coursework and fraudulent classes that enabled student-athletes to play sports.

Cheney v. U.S. District Court

A controversial case focuses on Justice Scalia’s personal friendship with Vice President Cheney and the possible conflict of interest it poses to the case.

Christina Fallin: “Appropriate Culturation?”

After Fallin posted a picture of herself wearing a Plain’s headdress on social media, uproar emerged over cultural appropriation and Fallin’s intentions.

Climate Change & the Paris Deal

While climate change poses many abstract problems, the actions (or inactions) of today’s populations will have tangible effects on future generations.

Cover-Up on Campus

While the Baylor University football team was winning on the field, university officials failed to take action when allegations of sexual assault by student athletes emerged.

Covering Female Athletes

Sports Illustrated stirs controversy when their cover photo of an Olympic skier seems to focus more on her physical appearance than her athletic abilities.

Covering Yourself? Journalists and the Bowl Championship

Can news outlets covering the Bowl Championship Series fairly report sports news if their own polls were used to create the news?

Cyber Harassment

After a student defames a middle school teacher on social media, the teacher confronts the student in class and posts a video of the confrontation online.

Defending Freedom of Tweets?

Running back Rashard Mendenhall receives backlash from fans after criticizing the celebration of the assassination of Osama Bin Laden in a tweet.

Dennis Kozlowski: Living Large

Dennis Kozlowski was an effective leader for Tyco in his first few years as CEO, but eventually faced criminal charges over his use of company assets.

Digital Downloads

File-sharing program Napster sparked debate over the legal and ethical dimensions of downloading unauthorized copies of copyrighted music.

Dr. V’s Magical Putter

Journalist Caleb Hannan outed Dr. V as a trans woman, sparking debate over the ethics of Hannan’s reporting, as well its role in Dr. V’s suicide.

East Germany’s Doping Machine

From 1968 to the late 1980s, East Germany (GDR) doped some 9,000 athletes to gain success in international athletic competitions despite being aware of the unfortunate side effects.

Ebola & American Intervention

Did the dispatch of U.S. military units to Liberia to aid in humanitarian relief during the Ebola epidemic help or hinder the process?

Edward Snowden: Traitor or Hero?

Was Edward Snowden’s release of confidential government documents ethically justifiable?

Ethical Pitfalls in Action

Why do good people do bad things? Behavioral ethics is the science of moral decision-making, which explores why and how people make the ethical (and unethical) decisions that they do.

Ethical Use of Home DNA Testing

The rising popularity of at-home DNA testing kits raises questions about privacy and consumer rights.

Flying the Confederate Flag

A heated debate ensues over whether or not the Confederate flag should be removed from the South Carolina State House grounds.

Freedom of Speech on Campus

In the wake of racially motivated offenses, student protests sparked debate over the roles of free speech, deliberation, and tolerance on campus.

Freedom vs. Duty in Clinical Social Work

What should social workers do when their personal values come in conflict with the clients they are meant to serve?

Full Disclosure: Manipulating Donors

When an intern witnesses a donor making a large gift to a non-profit organization under misleading circumstances, she struggles with what to do.

Gaming the System: The VA Scandal

The Veterans Administration’s incentives were meant to spur more efficient and productive healthcare, but not all administrators complied as intended.

German Police Battalion 101

During the Holocaust, ordinary Germans became willing killers even though they could have opted out from murdering their Jewish neighbors.

Head Injuries & American Football

Many studies have linked traumatic brain injuries and related conditions to American football, creating controversy around the safety of the sport.

Head Injuries & the NFL

American football is a rough and dangerous game and its impact on the players’ brain health has sparked a hotly contested debate.

Healthcare Obligations: Personal vs. Institutional

A medical doctor must make a difficult decision when informing patients of the effectiveness of flu shots while upholding institutional recommendations.

High Stakes Testing

In the wake of the No Child Left Behind Act, parents, teachers, and school administrators take different positions on how to assess student achievement.

In-FUR-mercials: Advertising & Adoption

When the Lied Animal Shelter faces a spike in animal intake, an advertising agency uses its moral imagination to increase pet adoptions.

Krogh & the Watergate Scandal

Egil Krogh was a young lawyer working for the Nixon Administration whose ethics faded from view when asked to play a part in the Watergate break-in.

Limbaugh on Drug Addiction

Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh argued that drug abuse was a choice, not a disease. He later became addicted to painkillers.

U.S. Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte’s “over-exaggeration” of an incident at the 2016 Rio Olympics led to very real consequences.

Meet Me at Starbucks

Two black men were arrested after an employee called the police on them, prompting Starbucks to implement “racial-bias” training across all its stores.

Myanmar Amber

Buying amber could potentially fund an ethnic civil war, but refraining allows collectors to acquire important specimens that could be used for research.

Negotiating Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy lawyer Gellene successfully represented a mining company during a major reorganization, but failed to disclose potential conflicts of interest.

Pao & Gender Bias

Ellen Pao stirred debate in the venture capital and tech industries when she filed a lawsuit against her employer on grounds of gender discrimination.

Pardoning Nixon

One month after Richard Nixon resigned from the presidency, Gerald Ford made the controversial decision to issue Nixon a full pardon.

Patient Autonomy & Informed Consent

Nursing staff and family members struggle with informed consent when taking care of a patient who has been deemed legally incompetent.

Prenatal Diagnosis & Parental Choice

Debate has emerged over the ethics of prenatal diagnosis and reproductive freedom in instances where testing has revealed genetic abnormalities.

Reporting on Robin Williams

After Robin Williams took his own life, news media covered the story in great detail, leading many to argue that such reporting violated the family’s privacy.

Responding to Child Migration

An influx of children migrants posed logistical and ethical dilemmas for U.S. authorities while intensifying ongoing debate about immigration.

Retracting Research: The Case of Chandok v. Klessig

A researcher makes the difficult decision to retract a published, peer-reviewed article after the original research results cannot be reproduced.

Sacking Social Media in College Sports

In the wake of questionable social media use by college athletes, the head coach at University of South Carolina bans his players from using Twitter.

Selling Enron

Following the deregulation of electricity markets in California, private energy company Enron profited greatly, but at a dire cost.

Snyder v. Phelps

Freedom of speech was put on trial in a case involving the Westboro Baptist Church and their protesting at the funeral of U.S. Marine Matthew Snyder.

Something Fishy at the Paralympics

Rampant cheating has plagued the Paralympics over the years, compromising the credibility and sportsmanship of Paralympian athletes.

Sports Blogs: The Wild West of Sports Journalism?

Deadspin pays an anonymous source for information related to NFL star Brett Favre, sparking debate over the ethics of “checkbook journalism.”

Stangl & the Holocaust

Franz Stangl was the most effective Nazi administrator in Poland, killing nearly one million Jews at Treblinka, but he claimed he was simply following orders.

Teaching Blackface: A Lesson on Stereotypes

A teacher was put on leave for showing a blackface video during a lesson on racial segregation, sparking discussion over how to teach about stereotypes.

The Astros’ Sign-Stealing Scandal

The Houston Astros rode a wave of success, culminating in a World Series win, but it all came crashing down when their sign-stealing scheme was revealed.

The Central Park Five

Despite the indisputable and overwhelming evidence of the innocence of the Central Park Five, some involved in the case refuse to believe it.

The CIA Leak

Legal and political fallout follows from the leak of classified information that led to the identification of CIA agent Valerie Plame.

The Collapse of Barings Bank

When faced with growing losses, investment banker Nick Leeson took big risks in an attempt to get out from under the losses. He lost.

The Costco Model

How can companies promote positive treatment of employees and benefit from leading with the best practices? Costco offers a model.

The FBI & Apple Security vs. Privacy

How can tech companies and government organizations strike a balance between maintaining national security and protecting user privacy?

The Miss Saigon Controversy

When a white actor was cast for the half-French, half-Vietnamese character in the Broadway production of Miss Saigon , debate ensued.

The Sandusky Scandal

Following the conviction of assistant coach Jerry Sandusky for sexual abuse, debate continues on how much university officials and head coach Joe Paterno knew of the crimes.

The Varsity Blues Scandal

A college admissions prep advisor told wealthy parents that while there were front doors into universities and back doors, he had created a side door that was worth exploring.

Providing radiation therapy to cancer patients, Therac-25 had malfunctions that resulted in 6 deaths. Who is accountable when technology causes harm?

Welfare Reform

The Welfare Reform Act changed how welfare operated, intensifying debate over the government’s role in supporting the poor through direct aid.

Wells Fargo and Moral Emotions

In a settlement with regulators, Wells Fargo Bank admitted that it had created as many as two million accounts for customers without their permission.

Stay Informed

Support our work.

The Library Is Open

The Wallace building is now open to the public. More information on services available.

• RIT Libraries
• LEAD 200 Dimensions for Ethical Leadership

Writing a Case Study Analysis

• Introduction
• About LEAD 200
• Course Textbook
• Ethical Dialogues
• Ethical Issues and Dilemmas
• Movies & Media
• Reference Works (Encyclopedias, Handbooks, Dictionaries)
• Article Databases
• APA Citation Style
• Presentation Preparation
• Self-Assessments
• Code of Ethics: Professions
• Using ethical concepts to analyze case studies
• A Guide to Writing an Ethical Reasoning
• How to Write an Ethics Paper
• How To Write a Case Study Step-by-Step
• How to Write a Case Study

Examples of Ethical Case Studies/Analyses

• Business Ethics Assignment: Case Analysis Of Johnson & Johnson And Ethical Leadership
• Case Study Application of an Ethical Decision-Making Process for a Fragility Hip Fracture Patient
• Case Study of an Ethical Dilemma
• << Previous: APA Citation Style
• Next: Presentation Preparation >>

Edit this Guide

Log into Dashboard

Use of RIT resources is reserved for current RIT students, faculty and staff for academic and teaching purposes only. Please contact your librarian with any questions.

Help is Available

Email a Librarian

A librarian is available by e-mail at [email protected]

Meet with a Librarian

Call reference desk voicemail.

A librarian is available by phone at (585) 475-2563 or on Skype at llll

Or, call (585) 475-2563 to leave a voicemail with the reference desk during normal business hours .

Chat with a Librarian

Lead 200 dimensions for ethical leadership infoguide url.

https://infoguides.rit.edu/ethics

Use the box below to email yourself a link to this guide

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base

Methodology

• Ethical Considerations in Research | Types & Examples

Ethical Considerations in Research | Types & Examples

Published on October 18, 2021 by Pritha Bhandari . Revised on June 22, 2023.

Ethical considerations in research are a set of principles that guide your research designs and practices. Scientists and researchers must always adhere to a certain code of conduct when collecting data from people.

The goals of human research often include understanding real-life phenomena, studying effective treatments, investigating behaviors, and improving lives in other ways. What you decide to research and how you conduct that research involve key ethical considerations.

These considerations work to

• protect the rights of research participants
• enhance research validity
• maintain scientific or academic integrity

Table of contents

Why do research ethics matter, getting ethical approval for your study, types of ethical issues, voluntary participation, informed consent, confidentiality, potential for harm, results communication, examples of ethical failures, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research ethics.

Research ethics matter for scientific integrity, human rights and dignity, and collaboration between science and society. These principles make sure that participation in studies is voluntary, informed, and safe for research subjects.

You’ll balance pursuing important research objectives with using ethical research methods and procedures. It’s always necessary to prevent permanent or excessive harm to participants, whether inadvertent or not.

Defying research ethics will also lower the credibility of your research because it’s hard for others to trust your data if your methods are morally questionable.

Even if a research idea is valuable to society, it doesn’t justify violating the human rights or dignity of your study participants.

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

Before you start any study involving data collection with people, you’ll submit your research proposal to an institutional review board (IRB) .

An IRB is a committee that checks whether your research aims and research design are ethically acceptable and follow your institution’s code of conduct. They check that your research materials and procedures are up to code.

If successful, you’ll receive IRB approval, and you can begin collecting data according to the approved procedures. If you want to make any changes to your procedures or materials, you’ll need to submit a modification application to the IRB for approval.

If unsuccessful, you may be asked to re-submit with modifications or your research proposal may receive a rejection. To get IRB approval, it’s important to explicitly note how you’ll tackle each of the ethical issues that may arise in your study.

There are several ethical issues you should always pay attention to in your research design, and these issues can overlap with each other.

You’ll usually outline ways you’ll deal with each issue in your research proposal if you plan to collect data from participants.

Voluntary participation means that all research subjects are free to choose to participate without any pressure or coercion.

All participants are able to withdraw from, or leave, the study at any point without feeling an obligation to continue. Your participants don’t need to provide a reason for leaving the study.

It’s important to make it clear to participants that there are no negative consequences or repercussions to their refusal to participate. After all, they’re taking the time to help you in the research process , so you should respect their decisions without trying to change their minds.

Voluntary participation is an ethical principle protected by international law and many scientific codes of conduct.

Take special care to ensure there’s no pressure on participants when you’re working with vulnerable groups of people who may find it hard to stop the study even when they want to.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Informed consent refers to a situation in which all potential participants receive and understand all the information they need to decide whether they want to participate. This includes information about the study’s benefits, risks, funding, and institutional approval.

You make sure to provide all potential participants with all the relevant information about

• what the study is about
• the risks and benefits of taking part
• how long the study will take
• your supervisor’s contact information and the institution’s approval number

Usually, you’ll provide participants with a text for them to read and ask them if they have any questions. If they agree to participate, they can sign or initial the consent form. Note that this may not be sufficient for informed consent when you work with particularly vulnerable groups of people.

If you’re collecting data from people with low literacy, make sure to verbally explain the consent form to them before they agree to participate.

For participants with very limited English proficiency, you should always translate the study materials or work with an interpreter so they have all the information in their first language.

In research with children, you’ll often need informed permission for their participation from their parents or guardians. Although children cannot give informed consent, it’s best to also ask for their assent (agreement) to participate, depending on their age and maturity level.

Anonymity means that you don’t know who the participants are and you can’t link any individual participant to their data.

You can only guarantee anonymity by not collecting any personally identifying information—for example, names, phone numbers, email addresses, IP addresses, physical characteristics, photos, and videos.

In many cases, it may be impossible to truly anonymize data collection . For example, data collected in person or by phone cannot be considered fully anonymous because some personal identifiers (demographic information or phone numbers) are impossible to hide.

You’ll also need to collect some identifying information if you give your participants the option to withdraw their data at a later stage.

Data pseudonymization is an alternative method where you replace identifying information about participants with pseudonymous, or fake, identifiers. The data can still be linked to participants but it’s harder to do so because you separate personal information from the study data.

Confidentiality means that you know who the participants are, but you remove all identifying information from your report.

All participants have a right to privacy, so you should protect their personal data for as long as you store or use it. Even when you can’t collect data anonymously, you should secure confidentiality whenever you can.

Some research designs aren’t conducive to confidentiality, but it’s important to make all attempts and inform participants of the risks involved.

As a researcher, you have to consider all possible sources of harm to participants. Harm can come in many different forms.

• Psychological harm: Sensitive questions or tasks may trigger negative emotions such as shame or anxiety.
• Social harm: Participation can involve social risks, public embarrassment, or stigma.
• Physical harm: Pain or injury can result from the study procedures.
• Legal harm: Reporting sensitive data could lead to legal risks or a breach of privacy.

It’s best to consider every possible source of harm in your study as well as concrete ways to mitigate them. Involve your supervisor to discuss steps for harm reduction.

Make sure to disclose all possible risks of harm to participants before the study to get informed consent. If there is a risk of harm, prepare to provide participants with resources or counseling or medical services if needed.

Some of these questions may bring up negative emotions, so you inform participants about the sensitive nature of the survey and assure them that their responses will be confidential.

The way you communicate your research results can sometimes involve ethical issues. Good science communication is honest, reliable, and credible. It’s best to make your results as transparent as possible.

Take steps to actively avoid plagiarism and research misconduct wherever possible.

Plagiarism means submitting others’ works as your own. Although it can be unintentional, copying someone else’s work without proper credit amounts to stealing. It’s an ethical problem in research communication because you may benefit by harming other researchers.

Self-plagiarism is when you republish or re-submit parts of your own papers or reports without properly citing your original work.

This is problematic because you may benefit from presenting your ideas as new and original even though they’ve already been published elsewhere in the past. You may also be infringing on your previous publisher’s copyright, violating an ethical code, or wasting time and resources by doing so.

In extreme cases of self-plagiarism, entire datasets or papers are sometimes duplicated. These are major ethical violations because they can skew research findings if taken as original data.

You notice that two published studies have similar characteristics even though they are from different years. Their sample sizes, locations, treatments, and results are highly similar, and the studies share one author in common.

Research misconduct

Research misconduct means making up or falsifying data, manipulating data analyses, or misrepresenting results in research reports. It’s a form of academic fraud.

These actions are committed intentionally and can have serious consequences; research misconduct is not a simple mistake or a point of disagreement about data analyses.

Research misconduct is a serious ethical issue because it can undermine academic integrity and institutional credibility. It leads to a waste of funding and resources that could have been used for alternative research.

Later investigations revealed that they fabricated and manipulated their data to show a nonexistent link between vaccines and autism. Wakefield also neglected to disclose important conflicts of interest, and his medical license was taken away.

This fraudulent work sparked vaccine hesitancy among parents and caregivers. The rate of MMR vaccinations in children fell sharply, and measles outbreaks became more common due to a lack of herd immunity.

Research scandals with ethical failures are littered throughout history, but some took place not that long ago.

Some scientists in positions of power have historically mistreated or even abused research participants to investigate research problems at any cost. These participants were prisoners, under their care, or otherwise trusted them to treat them with dignity.

To demonstrate the importance of research ethics, we’ll briefly review two research studies that violated human rights in modern history.

These experiments were inhumane and resulted in trauma, permanent disabilities, or death in many cases.

After some Nazi doctors were put on trial for their crimes, the Nuremberg Code of research ethics for human experimentation was developed in 1947 to establish a new standard for human experimentation in medical research.

In reality, the actual goal was to study the effects of the disease when left untreated, and the researchers never informed participants about their diagnoses or the research aims.

Although participants experienced severe health problems, including blindness and other complications, the researchers only pretended to provide medical care.

When treatment became possible in 1943, 11 years after the study began, none of the participants were offered it, despite their health conditions and high risk of death.

Ethical failures like these resulted in severe harm to participants, wasted resources, and lower trust in science and scientists. This is why all research institutions have strict ethical guidelines for performing research.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Normal distribution
• Measures of central tendency
• Chi square tests
• Confidence interval
• Quartiles & Quantiles
• Cluster sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Thematic analysis
• Cohort study
• Peer review
• Ethnography

Research bias

• Implicit bias
• Cognitive bias
• Conformity bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Availability heuristic
• Attrition bias
• Social desirability bias

Ethical considerations in research are a set of principles that guide your research designs and practices. These principles include voluntary participation, informed consent, anonymity, confidentiality, potential for harm, and results communication.

Scientists and researchers must always adhere to a certain code of conduct when collecting data from others .

These considerations protect the rights of research participants, enhance research validity , and maintain scientific integrity.

Research ethics matter for scientific integrity, human rights and dignity, and collaboration between science and society. These principles make sure that participation in studies is voluntary, informed, and safe.

Anonymity means you don’t know who the participants are, while confidentiality means you know who they are but remove identifying information from your research report. Both are important ethical considerations .

You can only guarantee anonymity by not collecting any personally identifying information—for example, names, phone numbers, email addresses, IP addresses, physical characteristics, photos, or videos.

You can keep data confidential by using aggregate information in your research report, so that you only refer to groups of participants rather than individuals.

These actions are committed intentionally and can have serious consequences; research misconduct is not a simple mistake or a point of disagreement but a serious ethical failure.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Bhandari, P. (2023, June 22). Ethical Considerations in Research | Types & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 17, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/research-ethics/

Is this article helpful?

Pritha Bhandari

Other students also liked, data collection | definition, methods & examples, what is self-plagiarism | definition & how to avoid it, how to avoid plagiarism | tips on citing sources, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

Site Search

• How to Search
• Advisory Group
• Editorial Board
• OEC Fellows
• History and Funding
• Using OEC Materials
• Collections
• Research Ethics Resources
• Ethics Projects
• Communities of Practice
• Get Involved
• Submit Content
• Open Access Membership
• Become a Partner

A discussion around the use of cases in teaching RCR, part of the  Instructor's Guide to Prepare Research Group Leaders as RCR Mentors .

NOTES TO THE INSTRUCTOR:

• You should feel free to choose your own case for this section, or choose several, giving each small group a distinct case to discuss. Given the time constraints of both this workshop and most lab meetings, it would be best for the cases to be relatively uncomplicated, though still nuanced.
• While this curriculum provides a basic case analysis scheme, if you use case analyses regularly, you likely know there are several ways of analyzing cases, and many frameworks out there to assist your students, depending on how you use / what you want the students to learn from using the cases. Some of those are included in the resources section of this curriculum; you could provide a couple of different evaluation schemas to determine if one is more appropriate for a particular discipline, or career stage, than another.
• If you’re using an agenda which includes an over‐lunch discussion of a case, as the agenda in this instructor’s manual shows, we used the 15 minute window just before lunch to go over the case studies section of the syllabus, coming back to the question “How might cases be introduced into the research environment?” in the after‐lunch discussion.
• It is important that the larger group discussion about the case(s) not become simply a discussion of the case per se, but that it also include a conversation about how useful this kind of discussion can be with their students. We found that our groups were eager to discuss the elements of the case, but we had to explicitly articulate the usefulness of such case discussions as tools for integrating ethics into their research environments.
• You might also ask your workshop participants if other kinds of “cases” – those drawn from current events, for instance, or those written as “two minute challenges” [https://nationalethicscenter.org/resources/146/download/2MC%20methodology.pdf] – might also work in the research environment.
• One of the evaluators of an earlier version of the curriculum noted that these workshops “could include tips on how to identify and choose in‐the‐news cases, challenges in discussing them, and bringing closure to such discussions. Of course an in‐the‐news case discussion would be modeled in the workshop as well. Alternatively, the workshop could promote the idea of providing case study (either created or found) discussion in a context similar to a journal club, or even as an occasional event in existing journal clubs.” This underscores the idea we had when creating this curriculum that all of those venues are considered “the research environment.”

What are case studies?

Based on real or contrived scenarios, case studies are a tool for discussing scientific integrity. Cases are designed to confront the readers with a specific problem that does not lend itself to easy answers. By providing a focus for discussion, cases help researchers to define or refine their own standards, to appreciate alternative approaches to identifying and resolving ethical problems, and to develop skills for dealing with hard problems on their own.

How should cases be analyzed?

Many of the skills necessary to analyze case studies can become tools for responding to real world problems. Cases, like the real world, contain uncertainties and ambiguities. Readers are encouraged to identify key issues, make assumptions as needed, and articulate various options for resolution. In addition to the specific questions accompanying some cases, an effective analysis will typically address the following criteria:

Who is affected (individuals, institutions, a field, society)? What significant interest(s) (material, financial, ethical, other) do those affected have in the situation? Which interests are in conflict ?

What specific, generalizable, and consistent principles (e.g., to tell the truth, to do no harm) are applicable to this case?

• Alternate answers

What other courses of action are open to each of those affected? What is the likely outcome of each course of action? What actions could have been taken to avoid the conflict?

Are the final choice and its consequences defensible in public (e.g., reported through the media)? 

Is there a right answer?

• Acceptable Solutions:

Most problems will have several acceptable solutions or answers, but a single perfect solution often cannot be found. At times, even the best solution will have unsatisfactory consequences.

• Unacceptable Solutions:

While more than one acceptable solution may be possible, not all solutions are acceptable. For example, obvious violations of specific rules, regulations, or generally accepted standards of conduct would typically be unacceptable. However, it is also plausible that blind adherence to accepted rules or standards would sometimes be an unacceptable course of action.

• Ethical Decision-making:

Ethical decision-making is a process rather than an outcome. The clearest instance of a wrong answer is the failure to engage in that process. Not trying to define a consistent and defensible basis for decisions or conduct is unacceptable.

How might cases be introduced into the research environment?

Cases are best seen as an opportunity to foster discussion among several individuals. As such, they might be most appropriate as an exercise to be used in the context of a research group meeting, journal club, or as part of a research lecture series.

During the lunch break, workshop participants will be assigned to small groups for the purpose of reviewing a case (scenario) describing a research ethics challenge. Ideally discussion group participants should be from diverse disciplines and people who do not already know one another well. This will increase the chance to better see challenges and find solutions for the case being reviewed. It also hopefully serves to increase personal connections among diverse members of the institution who can turn to one another with future ethics and ethics training questions or challenges.

Case for Discussion

How much is too much?

Qiao Zhi has recently arrived to work as a postdoctoral research in the United States from China. She studied English for many years as part of her schooling in China, but she had little real world experience in conversing and writing English. Qiao Zhi is a very talented scientist in her field and quickly found a position in a research group, largely consisting of other Chinese researchers and with Professor Wang, who was trained in China as well. During her first year of work, Qiao Zhi was extraordinarily lucky to have made an interesting finding and Professor Wang encouraged her to write the work up for publication in the journal Science. Qiao Zhi struggled to write the paper in English, but soon found that with the help of the Internet she could easily find phrases written well in English to express concepts that she wasn't sure of. Professor Wang lightly edited the paper written by Qiao Zhi, they submitted it to Science, and it was accepted for publication. Six months later, one of Wang's colleagues was looking at the Déjà vu website (http://dejavu.vbi.vt.edu/dejavu) and discovered that Qiao Zhi's paper received a very high score for using text duplicated from other papers. Wang took the concern of possible plagiarism to the Research Integrity Officer (RIO) at his institution. The RIO appointed a committee to determine if Qiao Zhi should be found guilty of plagiarism, an example of research misconduct. You are a member of that committee and have been asked to decide whether frequent use of phrases from other papers is plagiarism and if doing so should result in sanctions or penalties.

Recommended timetable:

During lunch:

• Introductions (5 mins):

Introduce yourselves to one another, pick someone to serve as discussion leader (responsible for keeping discussion on track and on time), and someone to keep a written summary of key conclusions. If not all members of the group have already been introduced to the case, the group leader should read the case aloud.

• Case Discussion (20 mins):

Collectively consider the (1) interests of individuals and groups in how this case is handled; (2) ethical principles or values at stake; (3) the alternative answers that might be considered as solutions; and (4) the rationales for selecting a particular choice of action agreeable to all.

• Summary (10 mins):

As a group, figure out how best to articulate your findings of interests and principles that are at stake, the alternative answers to be considered, your recommended answer, and the rationale for choosing that answer.

After lunch

• Presentation (~ variable)

Choose one member of your group to present your analysis, paying attention not just to the case per se, but also how this kind of exercise could be beneficial for your trainees.

Related Resources

Submit Content to the OEC   Donate

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. 2055332. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

• SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS

Home > Ethics > Ethics Case Studies

Ethics Ethics Case Studies

The SPJ Code of Ethics is voluntarily embraced by thousands of journalists, regardless of place or platform, and is widely used in newsrooms and classrooms as a guide for ethical behavior. The code is intended not as a set of "rules" but as a resource for ethical decision-making. It is not — nor can it be under the First Amendment — legally enforceable. For an expanded explanation, please follow this link .

For journalism instructors and others interested in presenting ethical dilemmas for debate and discussion, SPJ has a useful resource. We've been collecting a number of case studies for use in workshops. The Ethics AdviceLine operated by the Chicago Headline Club and Loyola University also has provided a number of examples. There seems to be no shortage of ethical issues in journalism these days. Please feel free to use these examples in your classes, speeches, columns, workshops or other modes of communication.

Kobe Bryant’s Past: A Tweet Too Soon? On January 26, 2020, Kobe Bryant died at the age of 41 in a helicopter crash in the Los Angeles area. While the majority of social media praised Bryant after his death, within a few hours after the story broke, Felicia Sonmez, a reporter for The Washington Post , tweeted a link to an article from 2003 about the allegations of sexual assault against Bryant. The question: Is there a limit to truth-telling? How long (if at all) should a journalist wait after a person’s death before resurfacing sensitive information about their past?

A controversial apology After photographs of a speech and protests at Northwestern University appeared on the university's newspaper's website, some of the participants contacted the newspaper to complain. It became a “firestorm,” — first from students who felt victimized, and then, after the newspaper apologized, from journalists and others who accused the newspaper of apologizing for simply doing its job. The question: Is an apology the appropriate response? Is there something else the student journalists should have done?

Using the ‘Holocaust’ Metaphor People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, is a nonprofit animal rights organization known for its controversial approach to communications and public relations. In 2003, PETA launched a new campaign, named “Holocaust on Your Plate,” that compares the slaughter of animals for human use to the murder of 6 million Jews in WWII. The question: Is “Holocaust on Your Plate” ethically wrong or a truthful comparison?

Aaargh! Pirates! (and the Press) As collections of songs, studio recordings from an upcoming album or merely unreleased demos, are leaked online, these outlets cover the leak with a breaking story or a blog post. But they don’t stop there. Rolling Stone and Billboard often also will include a link within the story to listen to the songs that were leaked. The question: If Billboard and Rolling Stone are essentially pointing readers in the right direction, to the leaked music, are they not aiding in helping the Internet community find the material and consume it?

Reigning on the Parade Frank Whelan, a features writer who also wrote a history column for the Allentown, Pennsylvania, Morning Call , took part in a gay rights parade in June 2006 and stirred up a classic ethical dilemma. The situation raises any number of questions about what is and isn’t a conflict of interest. The question: What should the “consequences” be for Frank Whelan?

Controversy over a Concert Three former members of the Eagles rock band came to Denver during the 2004 election campaign to raise money for a U.S. Senate candidate, Democrat Ken Salazar. John Temple, editor and publisher of the Rocky Mountain News, advised his reporters not to go to the fundraising concerts. The question: Is it fair to ask newspaper staffers — or employees at other news media, for that matter — not to attend events that may have a political purpose? Are the rules different for different jobs at the news outlet?

Deep Throat, and His Motive The Watergate story is considered perhaps American journalism’s defining accomplishment. Two intrepid young reporters for The Washington Post , carefully verifying and expanding upon information given to them by sources they went to great lengths to protect, revealed brutally damaging information about one of the most powerful figures on Earth, the American president. The question: Is protecting a source more important than revealing all the relevant information about a news story?

When Sources Won’t Talk The SPJ Code of Ethics offers guidance on at least three aspects of this dilemma. “Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error.” One source was not sufficient in revealing this information. The question: How could the editors maintain credibility and remain fair to both sides yet find solid sources for a news tip with inflammatory allegations?

A Suspect “Confession” John Mark Karr, 41, was arrested in mid-August in Bangkok, Thailand, at the request of Colorado and U.S. officials. During questioning, he confessed to the murder of JonBenet Ramsey. Karr was arrested after Michael Tracey, a journalism professor at the University of Colorado, alerted authorities to information he had drawn from e-mails Karr had sent him over the past four years. The question: Do you break a confidence with your source if you think it can solve a murder — or protect children half a world away?

Who’s the “Predator”? “To Catch a Predator,” the ratings-grabbing series on NBC’s Dateline, appeared to catch on with the public. But it also raised serious ethical questions for journalists. The question: If your newspaper or television station were approached by Perverted Justice to participate in a “sting” designed to identify real and potential perverts, should you go along, or say, “No thanks”? Was NBC reporting the news or creating it?

The Media’s Foul Ball The Chicago Cubs in 2003 were five outs from advancing to the World Series for the first time since 1945 when a 26-year-old fan tried to grab a foul ball, preventing outfielder Moises Alou from catching it. The hapless fan's identity was unknown. But he became recognizable through televised replays as the young baby-faced man in glasses, a Cubs baseball cap and earphones who bobbled the ball and was blamed for costing the Cubs a trip to the World Series. The question: Given the potential danger to the man, should he be identified by the media?

Publishing Drunk Drivers’ Photos When readers of The Anderson News picked up the Dec. 31, 1997, issue of the newspaper, stripped across the top of the front page was a New Year’s greeting and a warning. “HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR,” the banner read. “But please don’t drink and drive and risk having your picture published.” Readers were referred to the editorial page where White explained that starting in January 1998 the newspaper would publish photographs of all persons convicted of drunken driving in Anderson County. The question: Is this an appropriate policy for a newspaper?

Naming Victims of Sex Crimes On January 8, 2007, 13-year-old Ben Ownby disappeared while walking home from school in Beaufort, Missouri. A tip from a school friend led police on a frantic four-day search that ended unusually happily: the police discovered not only Ben, but another boy as well—15-year-old Shawn Hornbeck, who, four years earlier, had disappeared while riding his bike at the age of 11. Media scrutiny on Shawn’s years of captivity became intense. The question: Question: Should children who are thought to be the victims of sexual abuse ever be named in the media? What should be done about the continued use of names of kidnap victims who are later found to be sexual assault victims? Should use of their names be discontinued at that point?

A Self-Serving Leak San Francisco Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams were widely praised for their stories about sports figures involved with steroids. They turned their investigation into a very successful book, Game of Shadows . And they won the admiration of fellow journalists because they were willing to go to prison to protect the source who had leaked testimony to them from the grand jury investigating the BALCO sports-and-steroids. Their source, however, was not quite so noble. The question: Should the two reporters have continued to protect this key source even after he admitted to lying? Should they have promised confidentiality in the first place?

The Times and Jayson Blair Jayson Blair advanced quickly during his tenure at The New York Times , where he was hired as a full-time staff writer after his internship there and others at The Boston Globe and The Washington Post . Even accusations of inaccuracy and a series of corrections to his reports on Washington, D.C.-area sniper attacks did not stop Blair from moving on to national coverage of the war in Iraq. But when suspicions arose over his reports on military families, an internal review found that he was fabricating material and communicating with editors from his Brooklyn apartment — or within the Times building — rather than from outside New York. The question: How does the Times investigate problems and correct policies that allowed the Blair scandal to happen?

Cooperating with the Government It began on Jan. 18, 2005, and ended two weeks later after the longest prison standoff in recent U.S. history. The question: Should your media outlet go along with the state’s request not to release the information?

Offensive Images Caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad didn’t cause much of a stir when they were first published in September 2005. But when they were republished in early 2006, after Muslim leaders called attention to the 12 images, it set off rioting throughout the Islamic world. Embassies were burned; people were killed. After the rioting and killing started, it was difficult to ignore the cartoons. Question: Do we publish the cartoons or not?

The Sting Perverted-Justice.com is a Web site that can be very convenient for a reporter looking for a good story. But the tactic raises some ethical questions. The Web site scans Internet chat rooms looking for men who can be lured into sexually explicit conversations with invented underage correspondents. Perverted-Justice posts the men’s pictures on its Web site. Is it ethically defensible to employ such a sting tactic? Should you buy into the agenda of an advocacy group — even if it’s an agenda as worthy as this one?

A Media-Savvy Killer Since his first murder in 1974, the “BTK” killer — his own acronym, for “bind, torture, kill” — has sent the Wichita Eagle four letters and one poem. How should a newspaper, or other media outlet, handle communications from someone who says he’s guilty of multiple sensational crimes? And how much should it cooperate with law enforcement authorities?

A Congressman’s Past The (Portland) Oregonian learned that a Democratic member of the U.S. Congress, up for re-election to his fourth term, had been accused by an ex-girlfriend of a sexual assault some 28 years previously. But criminal charges never were filed, and neither the congressman, David Wu, nor his accuser wanted to discuss the case now, only weeks before the 2004 election. Question: Should The Oregonian publish this story?

Using this Process to Craft a Policy It used to be that a reporter would absolutely NEVER let a source check out a story before it appeared. But there has been growing acceptance of the idea that it’s more important to be accurate than to be independent. Do we let sources see what we’re planning to write? And if we do, when?

SPJ News –  Updates to SPJ Code of Ethics online interactive links –  The Society of Professional Journalists hires Caroline Hendrie as executive director –  Region 4 Mark of Excellence Awards 2023 winners announced

• AI Content Shield
• AI KW Research
• AI Assistant
• SEO Optimizer
• AI KW Clustering
• Customer reviews
• The NLO Revolution
• Press Center
• Help Center
• Content Resources
• Facebook Group

3 Key Tips to Writing a Great Ethics Case Study

Table of Contents

Writing an ethics case study is one of the most effective ways to explore an ethical dilemma or research any topic. Studying real-life scenarios and their circumstances might help you understand what went wrong and how to avoid similar problems. Read on if you’re ready to learn about writing an honest and informative ethics case study.

What Is an Ethics Case Study?

An ethics case study analyzes a specific ethical dilemma or situation that presents a moral conflict . Ethics case studies demonstrate how moral concepts apply in real life and how to make ethical decisions. A good ethics case study includes extensive research, numerous views, and an emphasis on the ethical implications of each possible action. It must include enough information about the circumstance and the people involved to let readers understand the intricacy of the issue. In an ethics case study, it’s essential to remain impartial and present all sides of the argument without bias. This case study style encourages critical thinking and meditation on complicated ethical dilemmas rather than persuasion. A well-written ethics case study might make us question our ideals as we meet ethical issues in our personal and professional lives.

Why Write an Ethics Case Study?

Ethics case studies help people understand how moral ideas apply in real life and make good decisions. These case studies help readers grasp complex ethical issues by researching, considering various views , and evaluating the ethical consequences of potential actions. Ethics case studies encourage critical thinking and reflection on complex ethical dilemmas by remaining impartial and presenting all sides of an argument without bias. These case studies enable readers to explore their values and views when facing ethical issues in their personal and professional lives. Ultimately, an ethics case study is a powerful way to help others navigate the complexities of ethical decision-making. Writers can aid their readers in making morally sound decisions by thoroughly understanding the situations and people involved. Doing so may create a more just and equitable world that respects honesty, integrity, and human dignity.

How to Write an Ethics Case Study in Steps

Ethics is a complex and subjective topic, making it challenging to navigate ethical dilemmas. Writing an ethics case study is one way to help people understand the intricacies of ethical decision-making. When writing one, it’s essential to remain impartial and present all sides of the argument without bias. This approach encourages critical thinking and reflection on complex ethical issues.

1. Select an Ethical Issue

Begin by selecting a specific ethical issue that you want to explore in depth. You can recall ethical issues from memory, society, a book, a movie, or a similar experience.

2. Gather Relevant Information

Once you have gathered all relevant information and analyzed the situation thoroughly, it’s time to write your case study. Include details about their backgrounds, motivations, and values. It’s essential to consider the impact on everyone involved, including any potential stakeholders affected by the outcome.

3. Writing Format

The format should include an introduction, background information, an analysis of the issue, alternative solutions, recommendations, and a conclusion.  Remember to remain objective throughout the process and avoid inserting personal biases or opinions.

In conclusion, writing an ethics case study can be a challenging but rewarding task. It allows you to explore complex ethical dilemmas and develop critical thinking skills. However, it is essential to remember that the output must comply with specific rules to communicate your ideas effectively. This means using clear and concise language and avoiding jargon or technical terms whenever possible. Furthermore, when writing an ethics case study, it is essential to remember your target reader.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

Explore All Write A Case Study Articles

How to write a leadership case study (sample) .

Writing a case study isn’t as straightforward as writing essays. But it has proven to be an effective way of…

• Write A Case Study

Top 5 Online Expert Case Study Writing Services 

It’s a few hours to your deadline — and your case study college assignment is still a mystery to you.…

Examples Of Business Case Study In Research

A business case study can prevent an imminent mistake in business. How? It’s an effective teaching technique that teaches students…

How to Write a Multiple Case Study Effectively

Have you ever been assigned to write a multiple case study but don’t know where to begin? Are you intimidated…

How to Write a Case Study Presentation: 6 Key Steps

Case studies are an essential element of the business world. Understanding how to write a case study presentation will give…

How to Write a Case Study for Your Portfolio

Are you ready to showcase your design skills and move your career to the next level? Crafting a compelling case…

Dealing With Ethical Issues in the Workplace Case Study

Introduction, the area manager’s dilemma, the hr manager’s dilemma, turner & newall: the case of the asbestos industry.

We are faced with ethical issues in our interactions as human beings. Ethics can loosely be defined as a system of moral principles by which social conduct is judged as either “right” or “wrong”. As relates to business, ethics are moral principles which prescribe what is legitimate behaviour in varied business dealings (Chryssides & Kaler 1993, p.3).

An interesting concept with regard to ethics is that there is no standardized approach to dealing with ethical dilemmas as they all spring from very unique legal, political, social and economic backgrounds. This makes the task of dealing with ethical dilemmas especially challenging for managers.

This paper sets out to review three case studies in which different ethical issues are dealt with. The various ethical theories that they may apply to deal with the situations will be given and the rationale behind the decisions made extrapolated. All this shall be in a bid to elaborate that a good theoretical knowledge in ethics will greatly assist deal with the unique ethical issues

In this particular case, Chris, a regional director with the organization has just discovered that David, one of the other regional managers is unprincipled, devious and a liar. As such David’s actions are not only highly questionable but also ethically unsound. Chris has to take up some solid cause of action and therein lies the ethical dilemma.

According to Chris’s reasoning, he can either complaisant and turn a blind eye to David’s behaviour, or, he can take affirmative action and accuse David of dishonesty to the higher ups. A view of this particular scenario with Kohlberg’s theory of moral development in mind might better shed light as to the actions that Chris might possibly take as well as shedding light on the principles to be applied in dealing with David.

Kohlberg’s developmental theory is concerned with the manner in which people judge what is right and wrong. According to the theory, one’s reasoning becomes more ethical as one advances through the stages (Frederick 2002, p.221). This being the case, we can clearly articulate that David is at a lower level in Kohlberg’s scale. To be specific, he is in Level one which is also known as the Preconventional Morality level.

Furthermore, it can be contended that he is in the stage I of this level since he is primarily concerned with getting caught in his wrongdoings. In this level, the behaviour of an individual is controlled by external rewards and/or punishments. David is not oblivious of punishment which is why he “tells barefaced lies to account for difficulties or shortfalls”. Neither is he without a concept of rewards which is why he is “always aiming to please the director.”

Chris on the other hand is way higher up in the Kohlberg’s scale. The very fact that he considers David’s behaviour as intolerable and views sinking to David’s level as unacceptable reinforces the statement that Chris is indeed on a higher level. Chris is Level Three of Kohlberg’s as can be deduced from his ethical perspective. A person at this level has public interest as his primary concern and will go to great extents to see that social order is maintained.

Chris’s level on Kohlberg’s scale dictates that he will do everything possible to stop David who is evidently acting not in the public interest but for his own good. Chris will therefore report David to the higher ups.

However, Kohlberg’s theory dictates that one can only perceive and understand the moral actions that occur one step above his particular level (Sims 2002, p.135). This being the case, it would be more logical for David to act as dictated by the second level. In the second level, actions which are approved by the other people are judged to be the right ones.

As such, David’s actions such as running his area on a patronage basis are approved by his colleagues and therefore can be viewed as ethical. Whistle blowing on the other hand is not approved of and might actually alienate Chris from his staff and the other managers. This being the case, the best action for Chris would be to seek a compromise with David and try to make him act in a manner that is acceptable to all.

In this scenario, the Human Resource manager finds himself faced with two different cases, both bearing a similar theme, employee privacy and criminal records. In the first case, the manager finds out that one of his staff has acquired a criminal record due to tax evasion. In the second case, an aspirant applicant admits to having a criminal record during an interview.

Inevitably, the tax conviction will have some bearing as to the member’s continued stay in the organization. At the bare minimal, the fact that the member was convicted by a court of law on evasion charges highlights the fact that he must be dishonest.

While it might be argued that the moral standing of an individual does not have any implications as to his capability in the work setting, the organization stands being a victim of the employee’s misdeeds in the face of the public. This is especially a reality in this particular case since the employee in question is in contact with the organizations customers.

The employee is the organizations ambassador to the outside world and as such his actions are seen to be a reflection of the organization. According to the newspaper, the total tax avoided amounted to 5000, a sizable amount. If the employee had the audacity to carry out such a scheme, it is not inconceivable that he may also set out to defraud the company. With these considerations in mind, it would no doubt be most prudent for the HR manager to recommend that the organization terminate its engagement with the said employee.

In the second case, the initial perception of the manager as to the applicant’s personality is that of a qualified, mature and sociable person. To top it off, the applicant comes clean concerning his previous conviction thereby accentuating his honest nature. However, the HR manager must disregard this personal attributes as he contemplates the effect that employing someone with a criminal record can have on the company.

From the testimonials of the applicant’s former employer and his OU tutor, it can be deduced that he is truly reformed and ready to become a credit to the society. Employing such a character can greatly aid the public image of the company since it highlights the organizations faith the county’s rehabilitation systems. There is always the danger of the applicant being stigmatized by his colleagues because of his record. Weiss (2008, p.367) asserts that managers should limit access to private information about employees to avoid such scenarios.

Looking at the decisions arrived at in this two cases, it can be seen that preference was given to the participant who exhibited honesty. The employee convicted of tax evasion was discriminated against since he already had a contract with the organization which he violated by his unethical acts. This made him less deserving leading to his unfavourable treatment.

The applicant was treated as worth of the support of the organization since not only did he purport to hold ethical attributes such as honesty but employing him would also serve the organizations own interests. Fredrick (2002, p.405 )asserts that companies may be held criminally liable for the behaviour of their employees despite the employees having acted on their own volition. As such, it is in the best interest of the company to make sure that its employees are honest and people of integrity.

This scenario presents a case whereby the needs of the company’s shareholders to make profit are pitted against the safety of the workers and consumers of the company products. Underlying concepts in the case are secrecy whereby the company directors failed to divulge vital information about asbestos since the information would have had unfavourable results for the company’s profitability as elaborated in the case.

The concept of distributive justice is also highlighted whereby the rewards should be proportional to the contributions made. In the asbestos case, distributive justice is neglected since the workers were not compensated really as adequate as the nature of their jobs dictated. This case can be reviewed with the social contract theory in mind. The Social Contract theory holds that actions carried out by someone are morally permissible if they increase the benefits of an individual or indeed, the society at large (Fredrick 2002, p.32).

Notably, the asbestos companies used the bankruptcy law to deal with the liabilities that arose from the numerous court cases. The adequacy of this move can be looked at from two perspectives. In the first case, the companies were pushed to this measure by the litigation against them. As such, this is a protective measure that allows the company to at least fulfill its role to the shareholders and creditors who are the primary concerns of the company.

Given the circumstances, it can be argued out that filling for bankruptcy was an adequate measure since it enabled the company to fulfill part of its mission. On the other hand, filling for bankruptcy implies that the company cannot go on with its normal mode of operations hence due to lack of profitability; it cannot settle claims by the various victims of its actions.

Having reached an agreement that the company should compensate its workers and consumers to the damage done, the question arises as to how the various costs should be split amongst the various stakeholders. The management of the company must have known about the dangers that their products presented to the workers and the consumers.

However, the management’s principle responsibility was to ensure the continued profitability of the company. This being the case, the major beneficiaries of the company’s profitability (namely the shareholders) should be forced to make the hugest contribution to the compensation efforts since they benefited the most.

In an attempt at redress for the victims, the Goyder Sanction may be implemented. This sanction seeks to force companies to act in a responsible manner by making them socially accountable to all their stakeholders.

The rationale behind this move is that most managers will be reluctant to act in the interest of the society at large if these interests are at loggerheads with the goals of the organization as a whole. The Goyder Sanction is therefore not only practicable but as such the most appropriate mechanism since it obligates the companies to recognize their social contract obligations which dictate that morally permissible actions are those that increase one’s benefit but not at the cost of harming others (Fredrick 2002, p.32).

The management of the company is no doubt the major culprit since they made the actual decision operational decisions of the company and sanctioned the secrecy that led to even further damage to workers and consumers. However, it should be taken into consideration that the management was only acting in the interest of the shareholders and company board who were the major benefactors of the profits obtained from the business dealings.

It would therefore be unjust to personally hold the management responsible since they were only protecting the interests of the company. A better means of seeking justice would be to collectively punish all the stakeholders. This would most suitably be implemented by transferring the ownership of the company as in the Johns-Manville case. In this way, all the involved parties (stockholders, management and directors) are punished and wronged parties get redress for the wrongs done.

The governments and company’s that import asbestos have a responsibility to the importing countries. They should ensure that the importing countries are aware of the risks that the products contain.

This will lead to informed consent since the importers will acknowledge the risks involved and it they feel that the risks outweigh the benefits, they can always opt out of such business dealings. In addition to this, the importers will be empowered to take actions to safeguard their workers and consumers from the adverse effects of asbestos.

This paper set out to outline three case studies that showcase ethical issues that may be faced. Applications of various theories has been seen to assist in coming up with solutions to each of the independent cases. From the discussions presented, it can authoritatively be stated that the business environment is faced with multiple ethical issues and a graceful resolution of the issues is imperative for the business interests as well as the interest of the society at large.

Chryssides, D G & Kaler, H J 1993 , An Introduction to Business Ethics, Cengage Learning EMEA.

Frederick, R 2002, A Companion to Business Ethics , Wiley-Blackwell.

Sims R R, 2002, Teaching Business Ethics for Effective Learning, Greenwood Publishing Group.

Weiss, W J 2008, Business Ethics: A Stakeholder and Issues Management Approach , Cengage Learning.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, June 23). Dealing With Ethical Issues in the Workplace. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ethical-issues-case-study-discussions/

"Dealing With Ethical Issues in the Workplace." IvyPanda , 23 June 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/ethical-issues-case-study-discussions/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Dealing With Ethical Issues in the Workplace'. 23 June.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Dealing With Ethical Issues in the Workplace." June 23, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ethical-issues-case-study-discussions/.

1. IvyPanda . "Dealing With Ethical Issues in the Workplace." June 23, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ethical-issues-case-study-discussions/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Dealing With Ethical Issues in the Workplace." June 23, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ethical-issues-case-study-discussions/.

• Asbestos and Rising of Cancer
• Asbestos and Effects on Real Estate Development
• Asbestos: History, Uses and Harmful Effects
• Environmental Studies: Asbestos Management
• James Hardie Asbestos Case History: Asbestos Mines and Illnesses Among Miners
• Dr. Paul Demers Presentations: Asbestos and Occupational Cancers and Carcinogens
• W.R Grace Libby, Montana Asbestos Contamination
• Western Groceries: Survey of Asbestos & Other Fibers
• Environmental Risk Report on Nanoparticles
• James Hardie Industries and Asbestos Problem
• Business Ethics Strengths and Weaknesses
• Excuse me- is that Dr. or Mr. Craft?
• An Ethics Program for a Small Business Venture
• Corporate Social Responsibility at the Tesco PLC
• Whether or Not to Uphold Business Ethics

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Int J Environ Res Public Health

A Case-Centered Approach to Nursing Ethics Education: A Qualitative Study

1 Department of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea; rk.ca.uac@83sseno

Sungkyoung Choi

2 Department of Medical Humanities and Social Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 06974, Korea; [email protected]

Sujeong Kim

3 Department of Family Health Nursing, College of Nursing, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06974, Korea; rk.ca.cilohtac@usmik

Nurses deal with ethical decisions as they protect patients’ rights, but a consensus on effective approaches to nursing ethics education is lacking. The “four topics” method can facilitate decision-making when nurses experience ethical dilemmas in practice. This study aimed to describe nursing students’ perspectives on and experiences of a case-centered approach to nursing ethics education using the four topics method. This qualitative study consisted of two phases. First, we delivered case-centered nursing ethics education sessions to nursing students using the four topics method. Then, we conducted two focus group discussions that explored students’ perspectives on and experiences of nursing ethics education. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Four themes were identified: the importance of ethics education as perceived by nursing students, problems in current nursing ethics education, the experience of case-centered nursing ethics education using the four topics approach, and suggestions for improving nursing ethics education. The case-centered approach using the four topics method is effective in enhancing nursing students’ nursing ethics ability. It is crucial to understand that nursing students would like to set up their own ethical standards and philosophy. Continuous efforts to encourage students’ participation and to provide ethical reflection opportunities during clinical practice are needed to better connect theory with clinical practice.

1. Introduction

Nurses have a responsibility as advocates for patients’ rights; as a consequence, nurses confront ethical quandaries daily [ 1 , 2 ]. As the healthcare system becomes more complex and demands for high-quality nursing care increase, nurses struggle to solve multi-faceted ethical challenges [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Nurses with low ethical sensitivity have difficulties making moral decisions in clinical settings [ 6 ], and thus, find it hard to advocate for patients [ 7 , 8 ]. More than half of U.S. nurses experience ethical dilemmas and moral distress several times a month [ 9 ], and 48% of nurses have considered leaving their position due to moral distress in a national survey conducted in New Zealand [ 10 ]. Common ethical dilemmas for nurses, for instance, includes the inability to provide the best quality care to patients due to limited resources, reduced costs, and unsafe staffing levels; carrying out physicians’ orders that a nurse considers professionally unnecessary; and the use of life support technologies to inappropriately extend life in critical care units [ 9 , 11 , 12 ]. The moral distress was found associated with low job satisfaction, burnout, and high turnover rates for nurses [ 1 , 13 , 14 , 15 ], thereby hindering them from providing high-quality patient care [ 16 ]. Although ethical dilemmas can create negative outcomes, ethical issues in nursing practice have received little attention.

Moral distress among nurses can decrease through training [ 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Education and training programs may be provided to enhance nurses’ ethical sensitivity and improve their understanding of decision-making processes in conflict situations [ 13 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]. Ethics education can enhance ethical sensitivity and awareness [ 21 , 27 , 28 ] as well as the ability to analyze ethical issues critically [ 29 ]. In particular, studies have indicated that providing ethics education to prepare nursing students is important before the newly graduated nurses enter clinical environments where ethical conflicts commonly occur [ 30 ]. Although the importance of nursing ethics education has been recognized, there is still a lack of understanding regarding it [ 31 , 32 ]. Courses related to ethics in the nursing education curriculum are insufficient [ 33 ], and there is a lack of educational materials [ 15 ] for nursing students. Further, there is a dearth of information regarding effective teaching methodologies to improve moral decision-making skills for nursing students [ 34 , 35 , 36 ].

Finding and applying adequate education methods to ethics regarding healthcare is a demanding task for nurse educators [ 37 ]. The four topics method, a structured framework that facilitates systematic identification of clinical ethics problems in four broad topics (medical indications, patient preferences, quality of life, and contextual features), is a way to assist ethical decision-making in healthcare settings [ 38 ]. Several studies found the method to be a useful tool in making ethical decisions in clinical settings [ 39 , 40 , 41 ]. The four topics method breaks away from the authoritative decision-making process, leading to higher-level decisions [ 42 ]; furthermore, it provides a systematic way of thinking from an ethical perspective [ 40 ]. Nurses’ better understanding of the decision-making process using the four topics method will enable them to consider a patient’s case from various ethical perspectives. Although the four topics method has been used in medical education studies, there is little information about its effectiveness in nursing ethics education. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate this method and determine the requirements that need to be revised when applying this method to the nursing field. The purpose of this study was to describe nursing students’ perspectives on and experiences of a case-centered approach to nursing ethics using the four topics method.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. study design.

This is a qualitative study that aimed to explore nursing students’ experiences of ethics education using the four topics method, and we conducted it in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) [ 43 ]. The research team consisted of four researchers: two with a Ph.D. in Nursing and two with a Ph.D. in Public Health focusing on medical law and bioethics. All researchers had experience in qualitative research. This study consisted of two phases. First, we delivered four nursing ethics educational sessions to nursing students using the four topics method. Then, we conducted focus group discussions (FGD) that explored students’ perspectives of nursing ethics education.

2.2. Participants

The participants included university seniors who (1) were in their fourth year of their Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) program, (2) attended university in Seoul and Gyeonggi, and (3) understood the purpose of the study and agreed to participate in the study. We determined that at least one year of clinical practice experience in various clinical settings would be needed to analyze the cases provided in educational sessions. In Korea, nursing students starts their clinical practice in their third year of the BSN program; thus, we only included seniors, who are in their fourth year as participants. The exclusion criteria for the FGD were students who dropped out or were absent from the education program or did not participate in the presentation. Using convenience sampling through an online advertisement and snowball sampling, 10 nursing students from three universities in Seoul, South Korea, were recruited for this study. In July 2019, we used Facebook to recruit participants, who were asked to recommend colleagues interested in participating. All nursing students who participated in educational sessions agreed to participate in FGDs, and no one dropped out.

2.3. Educational Sessions

The four educational sessions lasted two hours each and took place for the 10 participating nursing students between 6 August and 21 August 2019. The course instructor was a researcher with a Ph.D. in medical law and bioethics, and the instructor did not attend the same school as the study participants. The main topics of each educational session are presented in Table 1 . In the first two educational sessions, the instructor delivers lectures including ethical principles, ethical decision-making processes, issues regarding nursing ethics, and the case analysis method using four topic method. After the two lectures, students had about a week to prepare a team presentation. Students were divided into two teams (each team consisted of five students) and each team selected one case out of two possible cases: Case 1 was about an artificial abortion and Case 2 involved terminating life support for a person with brain death. Nursing students analyzed the cases themselves using the four topics method including a set of specific questions that helped identify various conditions and linked them to underlying ethical principles: beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice [ 38 , 41 ]. In the remaining two educational sessions, students presented their activities and discussed their opinion. The presentation consisted of the results based on an analysis of cases, determining the legal and ethical issues involved, seeking alternatives and evaluating each alternative, and selecting alternatives and providing strategies for implementation. Students were encouraged to discuss as many alternatives as possible without judgment or criticism.

Description of the educational sessions.

2.4. Data Collection

Data were collected in August 2019. Two FGDs (each team consisting of five participants) were conducted in a private meeting room. The moderator, who was educated and experienced in doctoral-level qualitative research, used a semi-structured interview guideline developed for this study. The moderator used open-ended questions and targeted probes to guide the FGD while allowing participants to talk freely about their experiences related to nursing ethics education. Interview questions were as follows: (1) Experiences regarding ethics in clinical practice: “Have you experienced any ethical situations or problems in clinical practice?” (2) Experiences about the current nursing ethics education: “What form should nursing ethics education have?”, and “Have you ever felt that nursing ethics education was insufficient while attending university or participating in clinical practice sessions? Please tell me in detail the reasons.” (3) Questions regarding a case-centered approach using the four topics: “Please tell me your experiences in this type of education, in particular using a case-centered approach utilizing the four topics,” “What is your most beneficial application of the four topics to analyze the case?”, “What was your most difficult application of the four topics to analyze the case?”, “What is different about this educational sessions compared to previous nursing ethics education?” (4) Questions regarding improvements in nursing ethics education: “What strategies could be implemented in nursing ethics education that would provide a better learning experience for nursing students?” Participants were encouraged to describe specific experiences from previous education and from the intervention sessions. The FGDs were conducted in Korean. The first FGD lasted two hours and the second one lasted two hours and 10 min. All FGDs were audio-recorded and the first author reviewed the transcripts against the audio files for accuracy.

2.5. Data Analysis and Trustworthiness

FGDs were transcribed verbatim in Korean, and the data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Interview transcripts and field notes were used for data analysis. The first author extracted and coded significant words and phrases. Each student’s response in the interviews was coded appropriately. For example, the statement “I know all of the so-called ethical theories, but in reality, I don’t know how I can use those things in clinical settings” was coded to “did not know how to apply the ethical theories and principles to clinical situation.” The codes were then grouped together as subthemes and the subthemes were further grouped into overarching themes by two researchers. Subsequently, the research team reexamined the codes and engaged in multiple discussions to verify the identified subthemes and themes. We retained the words used by participants to maintain the original meanings. The quotes were selected by the research team during meetings.

To assure trustworthiness, member checking and external auditing were performed [ 44 ]. The final categories were reviewed by two nursing students who had participated in the focus group; to establish credibility (or internal consistency) of the study findings, they were asked whether their intended meaning was maintained, and they confirmed that it had been. Additionally, the study findings were reviewed by one nursing student who met the inclusion criteria but did not participate in this study, and the student answered that she mostly agreed with the study findings and had similar experiences. The finalized coding book and study findings was peer-reviewed by an external researcher who has experience in qualitative research but was not involved in the research process, to assess the accuracy (or validity) and to evaluate whether the interpretations and conclusions were supported by the study data.

2.6. Ethical Considerations

The study was approved by the institutional review board of Chung-Ang University (No. 1041078-201906-HRSB-192-01). Participants were informed about the study’s purpose and methods, after which they provided written informed consent. They were also informed that their participation was voluntary, and the data collected would remain confidential. Participants had the right to withdraw from the study at any time without penalty.

3.1. General Characteristics of the Participants

A summary of participants’ demographic characteristics is provided in Table 2 . Of the 10 nursing students who participated in the study, 7 were female, with a mean age of 23.0 years (±1.41). Most (8 out of 10) participants had taken ethics courses previously and identified themselves as religious.

Participants’ demographic characteristics.

Note. G = group; P = participant.

3.2. Results from Focus Group Discussions

Content analysis of the data identified four main identified themes and 13 subthemes ( Table 3 ). The four themes included: (1) the importance of ethics education as perceived by nursing students; (2) problems in current nursing ethics education; 3) the experience of case-centered nursing ethics education using the four topics method; and (4) suggestions to improve nursing ethics education.

Major themes and subthemes.

3.2.1. Theme 1: Importance of Ethics Education as Perceived by Nursing Students

Participants mentioned the importance of acquiring ethical knowledge before starting clinical practice. Without ethical knowledge, students would not even recognize ethical issues in clinical settings, let alone have the basic knowledge to judge ethical issues. One participant said, “I know what is unethical. Behaviors can vary but there seems to be a huge difference between when I know and when I don’t” (G1, P1). Most participants also noted that they encountered various ethical dilemmas and experienced moral distress during clinical practice, which created confusion regarding values. Participants resolved to make efforts to ensure that unethical judgments were not routine when they became nurses. Participants agreed that ethical awareness is critical to growth as a nursing professional. They wanted to learn about nursing ethics through discussion with others; based on their learning, they would like to create their own criteria of ethical judgments and nursing philosophy. One student said, “As specialized professionals, we have to have our own ethical principles to establish professional values. We are nursing professionals who care for people’s lives” (G2, P1).

3.2.2. Theme 2: Problems in Current Nursing Ethics Education

Participants acknowledged that nursing ethics education was neglected in comparison with other subjects in the curriculum; few nursing ethics courses were offered for credit. A participant said: “credits. […] are concentrated on the subjects that can be considered as major” (G1, P1). Further, when ethics education was available, courses were structured with fixed answers, which led to difficulty in developing critical thinking. One student said, “[…] correct answers? […] as if there are fixed answers. [For ethics], it seems that such an educational method cannot cultivate students’ ability to think” (G1, P3). Given the high student-to-teacher ratio, the instructor could not facilitate all students’ discussions, and participants felt that they lacked the opportunity to think for themselves because they had to focus on passing the course. They mentioned that course contents were not memorable because students did not think and learn for themselves. Participants pointed out the lack of student motivation and voluntary participation, which made it difficult for interested students to share their thoughts in group discussion. Participants also noted that they did not know how to apply the ethical theories and principles learned in the classroom to clinical settings. Students had difficulty in recognizing and judging ethical issues in clinical practice, and they perceived a gap between theory and practice.

3.2.3. Theme 3: Case-Centered Nursing Ethics Education Using the Four Topics Method

Participants acknowledged that they reviewed cases more objectively by using the four topics method. A student said that “(By using the four-topics chart) we could discuss issues within a certain framework. Summarizing and organizing analysis results were somewhat helpful” (G2, P5). However, participants mentioned that some of the questions presented in the four topics chart were difficult to apply to the given cases. Students agreed that analyzing ethical cases using the four topics method was useful because it made them think in new ways: “I found raising various questions and giving answers according to the four-topics chart to be good practice because by doing so, we could answer questions that we had never considered” (G2, P4). Through the case analysis conducted in this study, participants had an opportunity to consider others’ perspectives and ethical values. One participant said, “I believe it is good because we can know how much value each person puts in the four-topics chart” (G1, P2). Applying ethical theory and principles to cases and analyzing them using the four topics method helped them identify the values they personally find important.

3.2.4. Theme 4: Suggestions to Improve Nursing Ethics Education

Participants suggested that small group education would encourage active participation, especially in a Korean cultural setting where people dislike standing out by asking questions or giving individual opinions. Participants said that the case-centered approach was helpful and suggested using cases with various ethical topics for learning several points of view. A student mentioned, “If they were real cases, I could focus better, and I could have opportunities to think about them. I wish there are some things we can remember and feel more closely” (G2, P3). They added that simple-to-complex cases need to be appropriately distributed throughout ethics education. Participants emphasized that they need opportunities to learn about ethical issues during clinical practice by sharing experiences and discussing how nurses should approach and resolve ethical problems. Through this process, students want the opportunity to think and exchange opinions on their own. Participants also stated that different evaluation methods should be used for nursing ethics education; that cultivating students’ critical thinking skills is essential; and that, particularly, students’ attitudes and participation in discussions should be included as evaluation items. One participant said, “If possible, rather than examining the students’ answers, the nursing ethics course should evaluate the level of participation in discussion and the opinions the student expresses, as well as how deeply the student participates in the course of drawing such answers and whether the student has the ability to use this tool properly” (G1, P4).

4. Discussion

In this qualitative study, we explored nursing students’ perspectives and experiences of ethics education to better understand current educational approaches and to present strategies for improvement. Consistent with a study by Escolar-Chua [ 26 ], our participants indicated that they encountered nursing ethics issues and moral distress during their clinical practice. Such experiences lead nursing students to imagine themselves as nurses in the future, recognize moral distress, and think about how to deal with it. Given that negative experiences in clinical practice can be impediments to staying in the nursing profession, nursing ethics education and trainings should be provided to nursing students to enhance their ethical competence, which is needed to surmount moral distress [ 26 ]. In particular, professional ethics are fundamental to the nursing profession [ 32 ], and obtaining professional competence is the most important factor in the formation of professional ethics and professionalism in students [ 25 ]. Notably, participants recognized nursing ethics education as a crucial component of professionalism and would like to create their own ethics standards and philosophy of nursing through nursing ethics education. Therefore, nurse educators need to consider providing opportunities to their nursing students for learning professional ethics and professionalism during their ethics courses.

Some issues related to current nursing ethics education need to be improved; nursing students struggled to develop critical thinking skills because the ethics education they had previously focused on lectures and did not provide enough opportunity to think for themselves and exchange their opinions with other students. In addition, nursing students had difficulties in applying theory learned in the classroom to clinical practice. To address the limitations of current nursing ethics education and to enhance students’ ability to appropriately respond to ethical concerns, it is important to develop both theory education and clinical ethics education around the ethical concerns that students may have [ 23 ]. For instance, learning activities analyzing ethical issues that students may observe or experience during their clinical practice could provide them with opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills learned from classroom education to clinical settings. Consequently, these efforts connecting theory to practice could help nursing students make ethical decisions when they enter a clinical environment after graduation. Moreover, discussion of actual situations in a systematic way can allow nursing students to realize their values and resolve ethical issues in practice [ 26 , 29 ]. Therefore, further work is needed to develop various ethical cases, ranging from simple to very complex, based on actual nurses’ experiences. In ethics education, the role and function of teachers can contribute to the development of professional ethics in students [ 25 ]. In Choe et al.’s study [ 34 ] on improving bioethics education, a priority was the enhancement of quality and competence in educators. Teachers should not enforce their own ethical standards and philosophy on nursing students, but should try to develop their competence through continuous education and training.

Analyzing ethical cases using the four topics method was determined to be useful by nursing students because the method guides students to analyze cases and provides direction for discussion. This finding is consistent with previous studies that established the four topics chart as a useful checklist [ 39 ]. In addition, the four topics chart made participants think in new ways. Participants mentioned that after internalizing the concepts of the four topics approach, they would be able to apply those perspectives to solve ethical issues in their work as nurses. However, nurse educators should not simply present the four topics chart as action guidelines or case analysis checklists [ 45 ], and when applying the four topics chart to nursing ethics education, some of the questions it contains should be revised considering the nursing context.

The findings of our study indicate that small group education, the case-centered approach, a connection between classroom education and clinical practice, and different evaluation methods could improve current nursing ethics education. Previous studies have also reported the use of a case-centered approach and small group discussion as the most effective ways to teach an ethics course [ 21 , 46 ]. For ethics development, interpersonal interactions with peers through discussion were highly effective [ 25 ]. However, there are some difficulties in small group education, such as managing the quality of discussion in small groups within a large class [ 21 ] and lack of student participation, as our participants also emphasized. Therefore, effective teaching methods for a large class [ 21 ] and strategies to motivate students’ participation should be developed to better implement the case-centered approach.

This is the first study to explore students’ experiences and perception of current nursing ethics education and case-centered nursing ethics education using the four topics method; however, it has some limitations. First, there were few participants, and they came from a limited geographic area; therefore, caution is needed in generalizing or interpreting results of this study to other nursing students. Further studies are needed to expand the target population. Second, researchers’ perceptions and intentions may result in an interpretation bias regarding participants’ responses. As mentioned in the methods section, we tried to assure trustworthiness of the study by member check, and external auditing. Third, this study examined the consequence of using the four topics method using only a qualitative method based on students’ perspectives and experiences. Therefore, future research should conduct a well-designed experimental study to identify the effects of the modified four-topic method for nursing ethics education based on our study results. Despite these limitations, this study provides useful information for the improvement of nursing ethics education.

5. Conclusions

Nursing students should be prepared to solve ethical issues before working in clinical settings. The study shows that a case-centered approach using the four topics method could be useful for nursing students as the structured framework of this method helps students to understand and analyze cases; this method would be helpful to train them to apply theory to specific situation. However, further research using an experimental study design that applies the modified four-topic method to the nursing field is needed to confirm our findings. Continuous efforts such as encouraging students’ active participation, using small group education, and providing ethical reflection opportunities during clinical practice will be needed to implement effective nursing ethics education that can connect the classroom and the clinic.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all participating nursing students who took the time to complete interviews and made this study possible.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, W.L. and A.M.; methodology, W.L.; software, W.L.; validation, W.L. and A.M.; formal analysis, W.L. and A.M.; investigation, W.L. and A.M.; resources, W.L.; data curation, W.L.; writing—original draft preparation, W.L., S.C., S.K., & A.M.; writing—review and editing, W.L., S.C., S.K., and A.M.; visualization, A.M.; supervision, W.L.; project administration, W.L.; funding acquisition, W.L and A.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

This research was supported by the Chung-Ang University Research Grants in 2019 and the Korea National Institute for Bioethics Policy (KoNIBP) awarded by the 2019 Bioethics Policy Research Program.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

How to Write an Ethics Paper or Essay With Tips and Examples

22 December 2023

last updated

An ethics essay is one type of essays that students write to present their ideas about what is good or bad, right or wrong, white or black, and approved or prohibited in terms of various theories, approaches, techniques, practices, actions, behaviors, responsibilities, morals, results, obligations, virtues, and others, developing essential writing skills. When writing an ethics paper, students should understand that such an essay differs from other assignments in that it focuses on elaborating on issues with ethical or moral implications in philosophy. Basically, this elaboration entails writers arguing for a stand on an ethical or moral issue. Moreover, when writing an ethics essay, students should follow a basic essay structure: introduction-body-conclusion. In each of these sections, learners should capture critical elements, such as a thesis statement in the introduction part, topic sentences in body paragraphs, and a thesis restatement in the conclusion part. Hence, students need to learn how to write a good ethics paper or essay to demonstrate their knowledge of philosophy by using ethical and moral sides of an issue.

General Aspects of Writing an Ethics Paper or Essay

Academic writing is a broad discipline that exposes students to critical skills, including interpretation, explanation, reflection, and analysis of many essay topics . Basically, essay writing is one of the academic exercises that enable students to build these skills. In particular, one of the essay types that students write is a research paper on ethics. When writing ethics essays in philosophy, students address issues related to morality, such as aspects of right and wrong or good and bad. Then, such concepts of ethics and morals underlie the importance of the right behaviors. In various settings, such as workplaces, humans establish codes of ethics and conduct to guide behavior. Therefore, when writing an ethics paper, a student’s focus is on how humans embrace or disregard good morals in society.

1. Defining Features or Characteristics of an Ethics Paper or Essay

Like all other types of essays , an ethics paper has features that define it as an academic text. To some extent, these features influence an essay structure of a paper. For example, the first feature is proof of the importance of a topic. In this case, students show this importance by constructing essay topics as challenging issues facing society, hence talking about it. Then, the second characteristic is a thesis statement that learners in philosophy formulate to shed light on a topic. Further on, the third feature is arguments that support a thesis, and the fourth characteristic is possible counterarguments. Moreover, the fifth feature is a rebuttal, where writers insist on the strengths of their arguments while acknowledging the counterarguments. In turn, the sixth characteristic is a sum-up of an ethics paper. Here, authors emphasize a thesis statement by justifying the arguments in its favor that they provide in a written document.

2. How Does an Ethics Paper Differ From Other Essays

There are many types of essays that students write under a discipline of philosophy. Basically, each essay type has unique characteristics that distinguish it from other papers. For an ethics essay, these characteristics include addressing an ethical issue, using an ethical lens to make arguments regarding a controversial matter, or explaining an ethical dilemma. Ideally, this type of paper focuses on elaborating on ethics and morality. In contrast, a narrative essay focuses on telling the writer’s story, while an informative essay focuses on educating the audience concerning a topic. Moreover, while some papers, like narrative or college application essays, utilize the first-person language, an ethics essay takes a formal approach to a third-person language.

3. How to Know if Students Need to Write an Ethics Paper or Essay

Generally, before students write some types of papers , they first consider the department or tutor’s requirements. Basically, these requirements can provide direct instructions, including a research topic, an essay outline , or a grading rubric. In this case, the latter helps students to understand the basic expectations of educational departments or tutors. Therefore, when students do not get direct instructions about their ethics topics, they can always know what type of essay they need to write by reading grading essay rubric requirements. For ethics papers, such prompts require students to take a stand on an issue of profound ethical or moral implications, such as fraud. In turn, key elements that tell students that they need to write an ethics paper or essay include providing an ethical argument, elaborating on an ethical dilemma, or expounding on ethical and legal implications.

4. How Do Students Know if They Need to Write an Ethics Paper by Looking at an Essay Topic

Students consider the instructions given by departments or tutors when writing essays. Basically, these instructions provide directions on essay topics that students should address when writing their papers. When writing an ethics paper, students can know that they need to write this type of essay by looking at the department or tutor’s topic. Moreover, this ethics topic may require learners to provide ethical arguments concerning a matter, elaborate on an ethical dilemma, or state whether an issue is ethical or legal. Hence, a central message of a topic should require students to address an issue via an ethical or moral lens.

5. The Meaning of an Ethical Argument, Ethical Dilemma, and Ethical v. Legal Implications

Key elements that define an ethics paper include ethical arguments, ethical dilemmas, and ethical and legal implications. For example, the term “ethical arguments” refers to a concept of taking a stand on an issue with ethical and moral implications and defending it. In this case, writers make ethical arguments to support their perspectives on an issue raising ethical or moral questions, such as fraud. Then, the term “ethical dilemma” refers to a situation that individuals find themselves whenever they face an issue raising ethical or moral questions, such as bribery. Also, authors are torn between two options, with one option having severe ethical or moral implications. In turn, the term “ethical versus legal implications” refers to a situation where a writer has to decide whether an issue, such as bribery, needs ethical or legal redress.

20 Examples of Ethics Topics for Writing Essays and Research Papers

• Soaps and Deodorants as Potential Causes of Breast Cancer.
• The Ethics and Legality of Child Adoption.
• The Pros and Cons of Taking Vitamin Supplements.
• Plastic Surgery and the Pursuit of Beauty.
• Human Cloning: Is it Ethical?
• Death Penalty: Key Pros and Cons.
• Abortion as an Intervention Against Teen Pregnancy.
• Is Voting a Moral or Legal Duty.
• Does Driving an Electric Car Indicate Responsible Citizenship?
• Social Media Use and Privacy.
• Should Schools Enact Anti-Bullying Policies?
• Does Social Media Use Enhance or Undermine Socialization?
• Combating Music Piracy: Should Governments Get Involved?
• Organic Foods versus Processed Foods: Which is Healthier?
• Global Warming and the Extinction of Animal and Plant Species
• Should Politics and Church Separate?
• Is It Justified to Bribe to Avoid a Legal Penalty?
• Should Nurses Be Allowed to Assist Terminally Ill Patients to End Their Lives?
• Corporate Fraud: Who Should Take Responsibility?
• Is Corporate Social Responsibility a Humanitarian or Commercial Concept?

Writing Outline and Structure of an Ethics Paper or Essay

Like any other essay, an ethics paper follows a structure that underscores its outline. Basically, this structure comprises three sections: introduction, body, and conclusion. When writing these sections, students must ensure they address all the essential defining features stated previously in their ethics essays or papers. When doing so, writers should confirm that the introduction and conclusion sections take 10 percent of the total word count of an ethics paper or essay, while the body, which is the main text, should be 80 percent. Hence, an essay outline of an ethics paper should look as below:

I. Introduction

A. Hook sentence. B. Background information on an ethical dilemma. C. Writer’s claim – a thesis statement.

II. Body Paragraphs

A. Argument

• state a position of an argument;
• support this position with evidence;
• explain how this evidence is right toward this argument and evidence;
• conclude why this argument is valid.

B. Counterargument

• provide a counterargument to a position in the first body paragraph;
• include evidence that supports this counterargument, being opposite to an argument in the previous section;
• explain how this counterargument and evidence in this paragraph are correct by using an opposite perspective;
• finish why this counterargument is valid for this case.

C. Rebuttal

• define the weaknesses of a counterargument;
• cover credible evidence that supports such weaknesses;
• write how these weaknesses make a counterargument irrelevant;
• end with a statement that explains why a counterargument is not valid compared to an argument.

III. Conclusion

A. Restate a thesis. B. Sum up on the argument, counterargument, and rebuttal. C. State a final claim.

Explaining Each Section for Writing an Ethics Paper or Essay

When writing the introduction section, authors of an ethics paper should be brief and concise. Here, students should inform the audience about the purpose of writing by accurately expounding on an ethical issue that they intend to address. In essence, this aspect means highlighting their stand concerning an issue. Moreover, formulating a thesis statement helps to accomplish this goal. In this case, writers frame their minds and structure their ethics papers via the use of arguments that defend their stand on an issue of profound ethical or moral implications. Notably, when writing the introduction part, which signals the start of an ethical paper or essay, learners should begin with a hook to grab the readers’ attention. In turn, this sentence can be a popular misconception or a question that writers intend to answer when writing an ethics paper or essay.

II. Body Section

When writing the body of an ethics paper or essay, students should use a thesis statement as a reference point. In other words, they should use a thesis statement to come up with several ideas or arguments in defense of their stand on the ethical or moral issue identified in the introduction part. Basically, rules of academic writing dictate that students should begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence, whose purpose is to introduce a claim or idea that they intend to elaborate on in the section. Then, it is advisable that, when writing the body section, learners should use different paragraphs to separate arguments logically. Also, students should follow a sandwich rule when writing every body paragraph of an ethics paper or essay. In turn, such a paragraph structure means providing a claim, supporting it with evidence, explaining its relevance to the paper’s thesis, and ending with a transition sentence to be connected with the next paragraph logically.

The conclusion part is the last section of an ethics paper. In particular, an ethics essay should capture several themes in this section. Firstly, writers should restate a thesis statement. Secondly, they should summarize the main points made in body paragraphs. Also, this aspect means summarizing the writer’s arguments for their stands towards an issue with ethical or moral implications. In turn, authors should reiterate the paper’s topic and state why it was essential to address an ethical or moral issue. Besides, students need to avoid providing new information in this section.

Example of an Ethics Paper

Topic – Euthanasia: Is It Ethical?

I. Introduction Sample of an Ethics Paper

Terminal illness is a condition of profound pain and suffering for those affected, including the patients and their families. Today, some scientists support euthanasia, the aspect of assisting terminally ill patients in ending their lives. While health professionals should do everything to help their patients to avoid suffering, assisting them in ending their lives is unethical and immoral.

II. Examples of Body Paragraphs in an Ethics Paper

Life is a sacred thing, and no human being has any justification for ending it, regardless of whose it is. For example, the premise of a debate about euthanasia, which refers to assisted suicide, is the prevalence of terminal illnesses that subject individuals to a life of pain, suffering, and dependence. Without any hope of recovery, some individuals have opted to end their lives with the help of their loved ones or health professionals. While there is every reason to empathize with these individuals’ fate, there is no basis for supporting their desire to end their lives. In turn, the sanctity of life does not allow human beings to end life, no matter the circumstances.

If there seems to be no hope of recovery, ending life is counterproductive in an age of significant scientific and technological advancements. Basically, scientists are working round the clock to find cures for incurable diseases that have proven to be a threat to humanity. For example, today, smallpox is no longer a threat because a cure is found (Persson, 2010). Therefore, the fact that there may be no cure for a disease today does not mean that there will not be a cure tomorrow. Naturally, human beings rely on hope to overcome moments of darkness, such as a terminal illness diagnosis. Nonetheless, it is the effort of the scientific community that has always brought hope to humanity. In this light, there is no ethical or moral justification for euthanasia.

Euthanasia is not only a solution to terminal illness but also a sign of hopelessness and despair. When patients take the root of assisted suicide, it means that they give up on looking for alternatives in dealing with a problem. In this case, the fact that a terminal illness does not have a cure does not imply that it cannot be managed. Moreover, individuals who love a terminally ill person, such as family members and friends, hope to spend more time with them before an inevitable time happens. As such, terminally ill patients should use their families and health professionals to live longer. In essence, this aspect reflects true humanity – standing firm and determining amid of insurmountable odds. On that truth alone, euthanasia is an idea that deserves no thought or attention.

III. Conclusion Sample of an Ethics Paper

There is nothing more devastating than a terminal illness diagnosis. Basically, such news punctures the hope of many individuals, families, and communities. Nonetheless, patients should not lose hope and despair to the point of wanting to end their lives because of being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Because life is sacred and there is always a higher probability of medical breakthroughs in an age of scientific and technological advancement, euthanasia is an unethical and immoral solution to a terminal illness.

Persson, S. (2010). Smallpox, syphilis, and salvation: Medical breakthroughs that changed the world . East Gosford, New South Wales: Exisle Publishing.

Summing Up How to Write a Good Ethics Paper or Essay

Essay writing is an essential academic exercise that enables students to develop writing skills. When writing an ethics paper or essay, students focus on taking a stand on an issue with ethical or moral implications. In this case, writers create a thesis statement that expresses their perspective on a moral issue, which can be an ethical dilemma. In the main text, authors provide arguments that defend their thesis statements. Hence, when writing an ethics paper or essay, students should master the following tips:

• develop the introduction-body-conclusion outline;
• introduce a topic briefly and concisely in the introduction section;
• develop a thesis statement;
• Use separate body paragraphs to introduce and defend arguments;
• Ensure to provide a counterargument and a rebuttal;
• Restate a thesis statement in the conclusion section, including a summary of the main points (arguments that defend the paper’s thesis).

To Learn More, Read Relevant Articles

How to cite a podcast in apa 7 with schemes and examples, how to cite a podcast in mla 9 with examples and illustrations.

• Government Ethics Cases
• Markkula Center for Applied Ethics
• Focus Areas
• Government Ethics
• Government Ethics Resources

Find ethics case studies on government ethics topics including open meetings, campaigns, bribes, civility, and conflicts of interest. (For permission to reprint articles, submit requests to [email protected] .)

Cases can also be viewed by the following categories:

What are appropriate uses of state resources?

Misrepresenting an opponent's position

A campaign manager signals the candidate's wishlist.

A candidate's friend becomes a bidder on a government contract

When candidates fills out a questionnaire for an interest group, do they pre-commit themselves to positions before they have had a chance to hear all sides of a legislative issue?

Can a campaign use government databases?

Student volunteers remove an opponent's yard signs.

A candidate poses with the seal of the office she hopes to hold

A candidate must decide whether to use information about his opponent's marriage.

• More pages:

John Pelissero, director, government ethics, quoted by the San Francisco Chronicle.

John Pelissero, director, government ethics, quoted by KUER 90.1/NPR Radio.

John Pelissero, director, government ethics, quoted by The San Francisco Standard.

Ethics Case Study Paper Example

Jerry’s medical training does not qualify him to issue the refill order. The patient’s physician is the one who needs to determine whether or not the patient should have a prescription of Valium issued for his flight or not. Jerry’s medical training does not qualify him to issue any prescription to any patient regardless of what it is and who it is for. If a patient’s prescription request was for control of high blood pressure that the patient critically needed on a daily basis Jerry would still not have the professional credentials to allow him to issue the prescription orders.

If faced with such a scenario Jerry should explain to the patient that he does not have the right to issue a prescription of any kind but that he would make it his first priority to tell the receptionist when he or she returned from his or her lunch break. If Jerry called in the refill and the patient had an adverse reaction while flying Jerry would not be protected from a lawsuit under the doctrine of respondent superior.

Both Jerry as well as him employer would be at risk for malpractice.

The doctrine of respondeat superior states that if an employee commits an error that the employer is responsible because they are always responsible for the actions of their employees. My advice to Jerry would be to kindly explain to the patient that he does not have the authority to issue any prescription of any kind but that he could either pass on the message to the receptionist when he or she returned for lunch or give the patient the time that the receptionist is due back from lunch and suggest that the patient calls back at that time.

Proficient in: Case Study

“ She followed all my directions. It was really easy to contact her and respond very fast as well. ”

Ethics Case Study Essay

The decision that Jerry makes in the given scenario could be affected by a few different things. First Jerry would likely feel empathy for the patient who called and requested that his prescription be filled, which will likely make Jerry want to help the patient. The patient explains to Jerry that he has a flight to catch shortly and he requires his prescription of valium to be filled so that he can relax in order to take his flight. As much as Jerry may want to fill the prescription for the patient he must think about the possible consequences that could arise from him filling it.

The things that are illegal or not allowed are almost always unethical, which is why they are not allowed. Often we as individuals believe that we know what is ethical and what is not and that we make the right decisions but this is not always the case, which is why laws and rules are created that aid us in making correct decisions. In the health care field it is extremely important that health care providers make the correct decision providing patients with good care.

If a health care provider makes a bad decision a patient can be affected very negatively by it, and it could result in injury or even death. When an individual is faced with a decision in a time of crisis it becomes very stressful and decreases the chances that the correct ethical decision will be made. While making the decision Jerry needs to consider the patient and what is best for him. Jerry is not his health care provider and therefore does not know the patient and his medical history.

There could now be a reason why the patient should no longer take Valium and it could be harmful to the patient if he does. This is why the patient’s health care provider should be informed of the patients request and the one to decide wither or not the patient should have that prescription filled or not. It is extremely important for any one who works in the health care field to understand the legal implications of both their health care position as well as for the patient before problem solving and decision-making, as well as be educated about ethics.

Medical ethics are an applied ethic, which means that it is the practical application of moral standards that concern benefiting the patient. When an individual is properly aware of the legal implications and educated regarding ethics and problem solving that individual will know how to make good decisions beneficial to themselves as health care providers, their patient(s), as well as their health care organization.

If an employee does something wrong their employer can be held as reliable as they are because they are responsible for their actions.

References: YARDLEY-NOHR, T. (2010). ethics and etiquette. YOUR BELIEF SYSTEM. Massage & Bodywork, 25(6), 104-107. Retrieved January 22, 2011 from EBSCOhost. American College of Physicians. 1984. “Ethics Manual. ” Annals of Internal Medicine Retrieved January 26, 2010 from .

Cite this page

Ethics Case Study Paper Example. (2019, Dec 05). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/paper-on-essay-ethics-case-study/

"Ethics Case Study Paper Example." PaperAp.com , 5 Dec 2019, https://paperap.com/paper-on-essay-ethics-case-study/

PaperAp.com. (2019). Ethics Case Study Paper Example . [Online]. Available at: https://paperap.com/paper-on-essay-ethics-case-study/ [Accessed: 18 Apr. 2024]

"Ethics Case Study Paper Example." PaperAp.com, Dec 05, 2019. Accessed April 18, 2024. https://paperap.com/paper-on-essay-ethics-case-study/

"Ethics Case Study Paper Example," PaperAp.com , 05-Dec-2019. [Online]. Available: https://paperap.com/paper-on-essay-ethics-case-study/. [Accessed: 18-Apr-2024]

PaperAp.com. (2019). Ethics Case Study Paper Example . [Online]. Available at: https://paperap.com/paper-on-essay-ethics-case-study/ [Accessed: 18-Apr-2024]

• Business Ethics Case Study Pages: 5 (1488 words)
• Professional Ethics in the Management of the Fraud Case Study Pages: 9 (2601 words)
• Cowles Case Study and the Woolworth Case Pages: 5 (1324 words)
• Business Ethics Essay - Environmental Ethics Pages: 9 (2615 words)
• Unit 37 – Business Ethics Assignment Business ethics has to Pages: 5 (1277 words)
• A Comparison of the Differences Between Personal Ethics and Professional Ethics Pages: 5 (1466 words)
• Environmental Ethics & Hunting: Hunting Kingshed's Impact on Ethics & Environment Pages: 2 (307 words)
• Case Study Analysis Paper Pages: 3 (788 words)
• Coca-Cola Case Study Example Pages: 7 (2097 words)
• Restaurant Case Study Example Pages: 2 (447 words)