Enhancing Ethical Communication in Brazilian Computing Research: A Framework for Human Involvement Reporting

Luiz Paulo Carvalho; Kamila Rios da Hora Rodrigues; Jonice Oliveira; Flávia Maria Santoro

doi:10.5753/jis.2025.5977

Authors

Luiz Paulo Carvalho Federal University of Rio de Janeiro https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1732-5517
Kamila Rios da Hora Rodrigues University of Sao Paulo https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9176-8709
Jonice Oliveira Federal University of Rio de Janeiro https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2495-1463
Flávia Maria Santoro Rio de Janeiro State University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3421-1984

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5753/jis.2025.5977

Keywords:

Ethics, Computational Ethics, Research Ethics, Meta-science, Brazilian Institutional Ethics, Ethics Committee

Abstract

Background: Brazilian computing research exhibits notable deficiencies in reporting human participation, with inconsistent ethical communication practices that compromise transparency and reproducibility. Goal: This study analyzes current practices for reporting human involvement and proposes a standardized textual framework to enhance the communication of human participation in computing research. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of more than 10,000 publications from SBC symposia (2013–2022), identifying patterns through keyword searches and content analysis. Using a pragmatic methodology, we developed a framework grounded in ethical requirements from Brazil’s CEP/Conep system and best practices from the literature. Results: Our analysis revealed: (1) most studies involving humans lacked CEP documentation; (2) widespread inconsistencies in terminology; (3) insufficient participant characterization. The proposed framework addresses these issues by defining mandatory and recommended reporting elements, including types of involvement, ethical approvals, risk disclosures, and participant profiles. Conclusion: This work introduces the first standardized approach to reporting human participation in Brazilian computing research. Although simple in design, the framework represents an important step toward ethical transparency and provides a foundation for future improvements in research communication practices.

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References

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