Colleagues: Nancy Baym has suggested that I post at least a brief version of my monthly report to the list at large, just in case a few people didn't quite read the executive committee report all the way through ... This is good advice, I think - the lessons learned and directions we're taking may be helpful. The AoIR ethics working committee has discussed a recent case/study kindly provided by two AoIR members. Several lessons emerged from the case/study and our discussion - two of which I would like to highlight here One, significant problems can be avoided ahead of time if participants in a multi-disciplinary research project spell out and discuss in detail their methodological assumptions and ethical practices regarding publication of research data. In the case we examined, two different disciplines involved in the research project, it turned out, had more or less opposite views on this point - leading to difficulties _after_ much of the project had been completed, IRB approval received, etc. In addition, the two different disciplines had different traditions and expectations regarding the nature of shared authorship (or... _not_!). Again, this is an important point to clarify at the beginning of research rather than towards its conclusion. Along these lines: we would be grateful to hear from AoIR members more general accounts of their experiences that focus on "Ethical tips / lessons learned" in developing research proposals and negotiating with ethical oversight authorities. On behalf of the committee - we look forward to receiving these from you! Charles Ess Distinguished Research Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies Drury University 900 N. Benton Ave. Voice: 417-873-7230 Springfield, MO 65802 USA FAX: 417-873-7435 Home page: http://www.drury.edu/ess/ess.html Co-chair, CATaC: http://www.it.murdoch.edu.au/catac/ Exemplary persons seek harmony, not sameness. -- Analects 13.23