We have been thinking about our own interests exclusively. But research involves an entire community and the moral circle itself disappears if I think of it as restricted to myself. It is commonsense that others have interests and that I ought to take them into account when deciding how to act. For our goals are inevitably intertwined with others' goals. If I am to be successful in earning a college degree, my professor must succeed, at a minimum, in acknowledging my progress by accurately recording my grades. I will not succeed in my objectives if my lab partners do not complete their parts of the project or if the university chancellor lets our accreditation lapse.

We have common interests in virtue of the fact that we are social creatures. I am a brother, a coach, a friend, a confidant. In these roles, my interests cannot be understood, cannot even be described, in terms restricted to me. As a friend, family member, and professional, I cannot satisfy my own interests without trying to help others satisfy theirs. That is what it means to be a good teacher or an adept research assistant. We are bound up with those we love and work alongside. And bound up is the right metaphor here. Our interests are literally tied to others' interests by promises and agreements, understandings implicit and explicit.

You may be using other people in your research. In many cases, the subjects of your research may benefit profoundly from the experience. On the other hand, some may be harmed. How do we minimize the risks to each individual, insure that moral rights are protected, and maximize overall well-being?

Here are six basic guidelines:

1. Minimize the risks to the person on whom the research is being conducted.

2. Insure the risks that remain to the person are proportionate to the potential benefits the research may bring them.

3. Provide everyone with sufficient information about the research that they can make an informed decision about whether to participate.

4. Obtain their informed consent in writing prior to beginning the project.

5. Maintain their privacy.

6. Allow subjects to withdraw from the project at any time.

If you will be interviewing or polling or in any way using people in your research, you must insure that these guidelines are observed. Ask your mentor for guidance; it is your job to insure that your activities are legal and ethical.