Guidelines NESH

This publication can also be found in full text here. 

The National Committee for Research Ethics in the Social Sciences and the Humanities (NESH) is an independent advisory body responsible for developing national research ethics guidelines. The first edition of NESH’s guidelines was published in 1993, and revised editions have been published in 1999, 2006 and 2016. For more information on NESH and the guidelines, see the attachment.

In this edition, NESH seeks to emphasise and clarify the fundamental norms of research ethics. The purpose is to highlight NESH’s guidelines as an independent source of ethical reflection and continued discussion in the research community. NESH also highlights that research increasingly is under pressure, and different parties, including commissioners, funders, and collaborators, are co-jointly responsible for ensuring compliance with research ethics. Furthermore, the distinction between ethics and law is underscored to clarify the legal basis for the investigation of scientific misconduct and for dealing with personal data.

The revised draft of national guidelines was circulated for public consultation in the autumn of 2020. NESH received input from more than 60 researchers, research institutions, and other research actors. A working group consisting of Elisabeth Staksrud (Chair of the Committee), Ivar Kolstad (Deputy Chair) and Vidar Enebakk (Director) has reviewed the comments and authored draft formulations, which in turn have been thoroughly discussed and approved of by all NESH members. NESH would like to thank all involved parties for their contribution to the revision of the guidelines.

Oslo, December 2021

Elisabeth Staksrud (Chair of the Committee), Ivar Kolstad (Deputy Chair), Kirsten Johanne Bang, Lene Bomann-Larsen, Kjetil Fretheim, Rakel Christina Granaas, Kristian Berg Harpviken, Heidi Østbø Haugen, Kjetil Ansgar Jakobsen, Roar Johnsen, Markus Hoel Lie, Hadi Strømmen Lile, Anne Nevøy, Tove Klæboe Nilsen, May-Len Skilbrei og Vidar Enebakk (Director).

The previous edition of the guidelines (2016), can be found here: Guidelines for Research Ethics in the Social Sciences, Humanities, Law and Theology