'The British Educational Research Association believes that all educational research should be conducted within an ethic of respect for the person, knowledge, democratic values, quality of educational research and academic freedom' (BERA Ethical Guidelines, 2004: 5). Researchers have responsibilities linked to the research profession, participants, public, funding agencies, publication, relationships with host institution and so on. A past BERA president, Anne Edwards, discussed ways of being a researcher in her presidential address: Responsible Research: Ways of being a researcher  at the BERA Annual Conference, Leeds 2001.

The linked documents below are other sets of ethical guidelines produced by various professional and government bodies:

The British Psychological Society have also produced a Code of Ethics and Conduct (2006), which includes a section on research ethics.

The British Sociological Association too have produced a statement of ethical practice (2002) with reference to research issues.

The Government Social Research Unit has developed guidance for the ethical assurance of government social research: Ethics in social research.

Doing the Right Thing – outlining the Department for Work and Pensions' approach to ethical and legal issues in social research, Bacon J and Olsen, K, DWP working Paper 11 (2003).

The Institute of Career Guidance has its own ‘Code of Ethical Practice for Members of the Institute of Career Guidance’, but this relates more to practice, rather than research.