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FIVE ETHICAL GUIDELINES A RESEARCHER SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN CONDUCTING A RESEARCH

It is true that every development initiative depends upon research and that researches are now popular in the academic courses. Original research means that you will end up by making a contribution to knowledge that you will end up by making a contribution to knowledge that is novel and unique, and that creates a step forward in that particular branch of learning. In this paper, the author is going to examine any five ethical guidelines a researcher should consider when conducting research. DEFINATION OF TERMS The author will start by defining the following two terms: ethics and research. Chikutsa A & Chingozha M.P.I[2011:118] defines ethics as “the rightness or wrongness of an activity or act.” The author defines ethics as fair methods or techniques which can be applied or used in any activity or transaction .Research is defined by the Oxford Encyclopedic English Dictionary as [a] the systematic investigation into the study of materials, sources etc. in order to esta

CHALLENGES FACED BY AFRICAN ARCHIVISTS IN DIGITIZING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

Information professionals are now embracing digitization techniques in the management of information. Digital libraries and digital archives are becoming popular nowadays because of their wider accessibility, preservation purposes and a host of their advantages which are related to the digitization of information. In this paper, the author is going to identify challenges faced by African archivists in digitizing indigenous knowledge. DEFINITION OF TERMS The author will define the words the terms indigenous knowledge and digitization first. Greaves [1996] as quoted in Chisita[2011:4] defines indigenous knowledge as   ‘…something more than matter of fact-information. Rather it is invested with a sacred quality and systematic quality, supplying the foundation on which the members of a traditional community sense their commutes, personal identity, and ancestral anchorage…’ Mugabe [ibid] defines indigenous knowledge as knowledge that is held and made use of by people who regard

The management of health records and health information systems is a societal effort to protect patients rights

The human rights issues started in the twentieth century getting momentum with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.   It is this declaration where patient rights are anchored.   In this paper, the author is going to discuss the views that management of health records and health information systems is a societal effort to protect patients’ rights. Definition of Terms According to Wikipedia, “The terms medical record, health record, and medical chart are used somewhat interchangeably to describe the systematic documentation of a single patient’s medical history and care across time within one particular’s jurisdiction”.   The Free Dictionary defines medical record as “A chronological written account of a patient’s examination and treatment that includes the patient’s medical history and complaints, the physicians’ physical findings, the results of diagnostic tests and procedures, and medications and therapeutic procedures”.   On the other hand the term patient rights is d

FIVE STRATEGIES WHICH CAN BE USED TO DOCUMENT INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

INTRODUCTION Knowledge of traditional medicine and other indigenous knowledge systems are fragile with inadequate appreciation, recognition and sharing of it, especially the area of traditional medicine and medicinal species, a direct utilization of high biodiversity, are most at risk and undermined in   most development interventions.   The indigenous knowledge sector in most developing countries is under-regulated and not well mainstreamed in national plans for agriculture, environment-biodiversity, climate adaption, poverty reduction and healthcare provision.   In this paper, the author is going to discuss five strategies which can be used to document indigenous knowledge. DEFINITION OF TERMS Indigenous knowledge is defined by Mugabe (1998) “as knowledge that is held and made use of by people who regard themselves indigenous to a particular place.   This is based on a combination of cultural uniqueness and prior territorial occupancy relative to a more recently arrived p