TEACHING ETHICS THROUGHOUT THE CURRICULUM

Case 101. Addressing Ethical Issues

Situation

Don Royal is a new assistant professor applying to the Blank Foundation for a research grant. He has several papers in progress with Sue Bloom, another faculty member in the department, that may be ready for submission to journals by the end of the summer. However, the deadline for the grant application which he is preparing is June 1, and Royal decides it would be advantageous to cite the papers in his application and list them as "submitted". After the application has been mailed, Bloom sees it and asks Royal about the "submitted" papers on which she is listed as co-author. Royal admits to fudging the submission of the papers but says "everyone does it". Bloom writes a complaint to the Blank Foundation and copies it to the president of the university.  (based on case, On Being a Scientist, p. 17)

Questions

1.    If "everyone does it", is Royal's behavior justified?
2.    Was Bloom's response to Royal's fabrication of submitted papers appropriate?


     Reflect on the above questions and form your own answers before clicking the Discussion key to review the commentary provided with this case.