University students' sensitivity towards scientific ethics

The necessity of increased sensitivity to ethical values in the world, especially in our country, is of great importance. In recent years, the lack of adherence to ethical values has been strongly felt, and the need to raise ethical awareness to a sufficient level in societies and individuals is crucial for the well-being of communities and the environment. The purpose of this research is to determine whether there is a significant difference in university students' sensitivity to scientific ethics based on selected variables. These variables include gender, age, the field of study, current class, whether they have taken an ethics course, type of high school graduation, parental education level, family income level, participation in any scientific research, and receiving information on ethics. The research was conducted in both semesters of the 2021-2022 academic year. The study included 243 students from different departments of undergraduate and graduate programs at Necmettin Erbakan University Ahmet Keleşoğlu Faculty of Education. The data were collected using the "Scientific Ethics Scale," which consists of 22 items and has a reported Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of 0.976, developed by Ülker, Kocakülah, Algan, and Alceylan (2020). The data were analyzed using the Field Survey Model, and SPSS software package was used for the data analysis. The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of this scale determined by the researchers was found to be 0.935. According to the obtained data, when the research results were examined, it was observed that the sensitivity of female students toward ethical issues was significantly different from male students (p<0.05). It was determined that students who took ethical courses, participated in scientific research, and were informed about ethical issues were more sensitive to ethical issues than those who did not, and the difference between them was statistically significant (p<0.05). This difference was also observed in the age range of the students (p<0.05). However, it was revealed that the fields of study, class levels, types of high schools graduated from, parents' education level and family income levels had no effect on the students' sensitivity towards ethical issues (p>0.05). In conclusion, in order to increase the number of individuals who give importance to ethical values and adopt ethical attitudes, and to set an example for those around them, it is highly important to provide mandatory ethical courses to university students, ensure their participation in research, and provide them with information about ethical values. Keywords: Ethics, Scientific Ethics, Ethical Sensitivity.