Navigating ethical challenges in generative AI-enhanced research: The ETHICAL framework for responsible generative AI use
Authors
- Douglas Eacersall Library Services, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, and University of the Philippines, Open University, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2674-1240
- Lynette Pretorius School of Curriculum, Teaching, and Inclusive Education, Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8998-7686
- Ivan Smirnov Graduate Research School, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8347-6703
- Erika Spray School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0367-4508
- Sam Illingworth Department for Learning and Teaching Enhancement, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2551-0675
- Ritesh Chugh School of Engineering & Technology, CML-NET Research Centre, Central Queensland University, Melbourne, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0061-7206
- Sonja Strydom Centre for Learning Technologies, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2270-2209
- Dianne Stratton-Maher School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9191-5588
- Jonathan Simmons Writing Services, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5231-0578
- Isaac Jennings eResearch and Specialised Platforms, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4723-4045
- Rian Roux UniSQ College, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0278-3195
- Ruth Kamrowski Griffith Graduate Research School, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7947-1684
- Abigail Downie Griffith Graduate Research School, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1528-2789
- Chee Ling Thong Institute of Computer Science and Digital Innovation, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5138-883X
- Katharine A. Howell Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5044-0034
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37074/jalt.2025.8.2.9Abstract
The rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in research presents both opportunities and ethical challenges that should be carefully navigated. Although GenAI tools can enhance research efficiency by automating tasks such as literature reviews and data analysis, their use raises concerns about aspects including data accuracy, privacy, bias, and research integrity. This paper proposes the ETHICAL framework, which is a practical guide for responsible GenAI use in research. Employing a multi-stage single case study design, we examine multiple GenAI tools in real research contexts to develop the ETHICAL framework, which consists of seven key principles: Examine policies and guidelines, Think about social impacts, Harness understanding of the technology, Indicate use, Critically engage with outputs, Access secure versions, and Look at user agreements. Applying these principles will enable researchers to uphold research integrity while leveraging the benefits of GenAI. The framework addresses a critical gap between awareness of ethical issues and practical action steps, providing researchers with concrete guidance for ethical GenAI integration. This work has implications for research practice, institutional policy development, and the broader academic community as researchers adapt to an AI-enhanced research landscape. The ETHICAL framework can also serve as a foundation for developing AI literacy in academia and promoting responsible GenAI adoption in research settings.
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Author Biographies
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Douglas Eacersall, Library Services, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, and University of the Philippines, Open University, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
Dr Douglas Eacersall is a Senior Lecturer (Researcher Development and Applied Artificial Intelligence) at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), Australia. He has worked on numerous research projects, including a major Australian Research Council project. He recently received a grant to develop a research specific AI literacy framework and has presented this research at Oxford and Cambridge universities. Douglas facilitates the Human-AI Collaborative Knowledgebase for Education and Research (HACKER) and welcomes opportunities to collaborate, speak and supervise in the areas of Applied AI and Researcher Development.
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Lynette Pretorius, School of Curriculum, Teaching, and Inclusive Education, Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Dr Lynette Pretorius is an award-winning educator and researcher who interlaces imagination and insight to reimagine what higher education can be. Drawing on her interdisciplinary expertise, she weaves together diverse ideas, lived experiences, and pedagogical innovations to create inclusive and transformative learning environments. Lynette has extensive experience teaching across undergraduate, postgraduate, and graduate research levels, including supervising PhD students. Her research advocates for more compassionate, equitable, and creative learning environments, with a particular focus on doctoral education, academic identity, student wellbeing, and AI literacy. She is the author of numerous peer-reviewed publications, including two academic books that explore the lived experiences of graduate research students. As a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Lynette has also been internationally recognised for her leadership in teaching and learning, particularly her dedication to designing transformative educational experiences that centre wellbeing, justice, and student growth.
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Ivan Smirnov, Graduate Research School, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Dr Ivan Smirnov is a computational social scientist exploring the evolving relationship between technology and society. His current focus is on Generative AI: he both conducts research on GenAI and employs GenAI to conduct research. He is particularly interested in exploring AI‘s potential role in improving doctoral students’ wellbeing and helping them navigate the hidden curriculum in academia. Dr Smirnov is the AI Lead in Research and Researcher Training at the Graduate Research School, University of Technology Sydney. He is also an External Faculty at the Complexity Science Hub, Vienna. Previously, he served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Mannheim and led a Computational Social Science research group at the Higher School of Economics, Moscow. His work has been published in leading journals, including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and featured in major media outlets such as ABC TV, MIT Technology Review, and The Times.
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Erika Spray, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
Dr Erika Spray is a Lecturer in Educational Psychology at the University of Newcastle, Australia. Her core research focuses on the importance of learners’ individual differences, particularly metacognitive and epistemic beliefs, and how these relate to experiences of learning. She is also interested in the potential of technology in education, particularly genAI and simulation technologies. Dr Spray is part of an award-winning team pioneering the use of simulation technologies in undergraduate teacher education. Specifically, Erika leads the use of simSchool in the School of Education, where it is integrated into large core courses to build preservice teachers' pedagogical knowledge and sense of teaching efficacy before they undertake practicum placements in Schools. For this work, and its evaluation, Dr Spray was awarded ASCILITE 2024 Early Career Researcher of the Year.
Dr Spray can be contacted via her university profile: https://www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/erika-spray
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Sam Illingworth, Department for Learning and Teaching Enhancement, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Sam Illingworth is a Professor in the Department of Learning and Teaching Enhancement at Edinburgh Napier University, where his research interests involve using creative pedagogies to address staff and student belonging in higher education. You can find out more about his work via his website https://www.samillingworth.com.
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Ritesh Chugh, School of Engineering & Technology, CML-NET Research Centre, Central Queensland University, Melbourne, Australia
Ritesh Chugh is an Associate Professor (ICT) in the School of Engineering and Technology at Central Queensland University, Australia. His research focuses on educational systems, pedagogies, and technology-enhanced learning, and he has published extensively in leading academic journals. Ritesh is listed among the Stanford/Elsevier World's Top 2% Scientists, recognising his impactful research. He is also known for his commitment to improving student outcomes through innovative teaching practices, earning several prestigious awards, including the International Education Association of Australia’s Best Practice in International Education Award and the Dean’s Award for Mid-Career Research Excellence. Additionally, he regularly shares his expertise in socio-tech topics through public scholarship in both national and international media.
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Sonja Strydom, Centre for Learning Technologies, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Sonja Strydom is a scholar in the field of higher education studies and digital technology. As the Deputy Director at the Centre for Learning Technologies and a Research Fellow at the Centre for Higher and Adult Education at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, she has established herself in the interrelated fields of academic development, curriculum renewal and digital technology. She holds a PhD in Higher Education Studies and a DLitt et Phil in Psychology. Sonja’s current scholarly interests include the connection between social justice pedagogies and GAI in higher education, the impact of the post-digital educational landscape on teaching, learning and assessment, the role of student voice in digital innovative practices and epistemological literacies in GAI engagement.
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Dianne Stratton-Maher, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia
Dr Dianne Stratton-Maher, RN, Senior Nursing Lecturer at the University of Southern Queensland, combines extensive Intensive Care nursing expertise with a dedication to nursing education. Her Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) highlights her commitment to excellence in teaching and learning. Dianne is committed to advancing research that informs and improves educational practice while enhancing student outcomes. Her current project, Enhancing Nursing Education for an AI-Driven Healthcare Future: A National Perspective, explores the integration of AI and digital technologies to transform nursing education and strengthen learning outcomes on a national scale.
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Jonathan Simmons, Writing Services, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Dr Jonathan Simmons holds a PhD in Sociology. His areas of research include nonreligion, religion, and social movements. He currently serves as a Graduate Writing Advisor in Writing Services at the University of Alberta, Canada.
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Isaac Jennings, eResearch and Specialised Platforms, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
Isaac Jennings is a member of the eResearch unit at Griffith University. He has co-led and supported various projects across the spectrum of applied artificial intelligence in research contexts. His interests include AI use cases in boosting producitivity in software development workflows. He is currently completing a thesis exploring the utility of large language models in transpiling web application source code in ways that potentially improve computational performance and efficiency.
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Rian Roux, UniSQ College, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia
Dr Rian Roux is a Pathways Lecturer and UniPrep Coordinator at the University of Southern Queensland. He is an author, award-winning researcher and senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy. His research interests revolve around educational philosophy, leadership and theory for democratic societies, with a specific focus on transformative learning, epistemology and artificial intelligence.
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Ruth Kamrowski, Griffith Graduate Research School, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
Dr Ruth Kamrowski is Manager, Evaluation (Student Equity Programs) at Griffith University.
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Abigail Downie, Griffith Graduate Research School, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
Dr. Abigail Downie is the Graduate Research Development Consultant at Griffith University, Australia. In her role, Abigail works collaboratively with subject matter experts to ensure the developmental needs of HDR candidates and supervisors across the university are supported. Abigail is passionate about supporting learning through formal and informal learning pathways across a variety of developmental areas including communication, research and transferable skills, career preparation and wellbeing.
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Chee Ling Thong, Institute of Computer Science and Digital Innovation, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Chee Ling Thong is an Associate Professor of Information Systems with extensive experience in teaching, research, supervision, and academic leadership. Her research interests include digital innovation in education, doctoral supervision practices, and the integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) in learning environments. Dr Thong has led and contributed to numerous collaborative research projects, presented her work at international conferences, and published in reputable academic journals. In recognition of her contributions, she received the Product Innovation and Commercialization Award, underscoring her commitment to impactful research and the practical application of academic innovation
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Katharine A. Howell, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
Dr Kate Howell is a Senior Lecturer and the PhD Course Coordinator at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia and has 20 years of experience in tertiary and research institutions. For the past decade she has held academic leadership roles with responsibility for coordinating higher degree by research (HDR) courses and HDR supervisor training. Prior to this, Kate worked as a research scientist in the discipline of plant molecular biology and has a track record of securing funding from national (Australian Research Council) and international (Humboldt Research Foundation) organisations, publishing and disseminating her research in scientific journals and at national and international conferences, as well as supervising and mentoring numerous Honours, Masters and PhD students. She is passionate about developing and empowering future researchers, and her current interests include HDR course curriculum transformation and fostering best practice in HDR supervision.
