For example, the book as a whole may be used as a core text for research ethics modules within university science
programmes and research degrees. For use in these academic contexts, the references and further readings will provide
useful sources for students to draw upon in assessed work. Much of the content of this book is informed by the
authors’ experience in providing short courses (of one, two or three days) to members of research ethics committees
serving health authorities or universities. For courses of this type individual chapters may be chosen as the basis for
particular sessions in accordance with the needs and interests of the group being trained. Although the sequence of
topics has been carefully chosen, and later chapters do sometimes refer back to earlier ones, they are sufficiently
independent to enable the sequence to be varied in accordance with the trainees’ needs or the trainer’s preferences.
We would, however, recommend that any audience that is new to research ethics cover the introductory material in
Chapter 1 before progressing to the more applied topics, since this is intended both to motivate the enterprise of
research ethics and to provide a framework for subsequent discussion. The book is also suitable for use as a self-study
resource for those who are interested in research ethics – whether as professional researchers, research participants or
interested citizens – but do not have access to or time to undertake a formal programme of study.