GUIDELINES for RESEARCH ETHICS
Background:
This Guideline for Research Ethics was first suggested at the UALS 4th General Meeting in 2014 (Heisei 26). A working group was established, which prepared a draft based on similar guidelines implemented by The English Linguistics Society of Japan. The proposed draft was approved at the Executive Meeting in 2015 (Heisei 27) and the official guidelines were announced at the 5th General Meeting of the same year.
UALS Guidelines for Research Activities
1. Sound Scientific Research
All member associations of The United Associations of Language Studies (affiliated associations, hereafter) strive to contribute to the progress and development of language studies. To achieve this goal, all members of affiliated associations are required to be ethical in their research activities, conducting and publishing research based on properly collected data and original arguments, while taking into account the research results of previous studies. Thus, research activities must be free of any kind of misconduct, including fabrication, plagiarism, and improper data collection. Such misconduct hinders the progress and development of science and tarnishes the credibility of knowledge. Members of affiliated associations are required to comply with the UALS guidelines and the regulations of their respective associations in conducting research.
2. Types of Research Misconduct
The following categories are defined as misconduct in research activities.
- (1)
- Fabrication
- To fabricate non-existing data or research results
- (2)
- Falsification
- To alter data or research results
- (3)
- Improper Citation
- To use others’ ideas, data or research results without permission or proper acknowledgement
- (4)
- Plagiarism
- To use written content of others’ work, be it in the form of books, articles, or electronic information on the internet, without proper citation
- (5)
- Improper Data Collection
- To conduct a survey or experiment without sufficient explanation or confirmation of a participant’s consent, or to collect data by methods that violate a participant’s free will or that may cause physical or mental harm to the participant
3. Penalties for Misconduct
When any misconduct has been identified in the content of published or presented research, affiliated associations shall take action in accordance with the methods and procedures of their respective associations, and if necessary, notify related associations and agencies of the misconduct.