The ASA Committee on Professional Ethics seeks input on the Ethical Guidelines for Statistical Practice, which are permanently linked here:
http://www.amstat.org/ASA/Your-Career/Ethical-Guidelines-for-Statistical-Practice.aspx
If you would like to contribute a recommendation for revision to the Guidelines, or for a comment for the linked discussion, we have created discussion threads for each of the Guidelines' individual principles. Please comment on the principle(s) most directly related to your suggestion(s).
Your suggestions should be as specific and complete as possible so that the Committee or its designated Working Group can review and consider your suggestions and input. All suggestions received through these discussion threads will be considered by the Committee.
Those employing any person to analyze data are implicitly relying on the profession’s reputation for objectivity. However, this creates an obligation on the part of the employer to understand and respect statisticians’ obligation of objectivity.
Those employing statisticians are expected to:
- Recognize that the Ethical Guidelines exist, and were instituted, for the protection and support of the statistician and the consumer alike.
- Maintain a working environment free from intimidation, including discrimination based on personal characteristics; bullying; coercion; unwelcome physical (including sexual) contact; and other forms of harassment.
- Recognize that valid findings result from competent work in a moral environment. Employers, funders, or those who commission statistical analysis have an obligation to rely on the expertise and judgment of qualified statisticians for any data analysis. This obligation may be especially relevant in analyses that are known or anticipated to have tangible physical, financial, or psychological impacts.
- Recognize that the results of valid statistical studies cannot be guaranteed to conform to the expectations or desires of those commissioning the study or the statistical practitioner(s).
- Recognize that it is contrary to these Guidelines to report or follow only those results that conform to expectations without explicitly acknowledging competing findings and the basis for choices regarding which results to report, use, and/or cite.
- Recognize that the inclusion of statistical practitioners as authors, or acknowledgement of their contributions to projects or publications, requires their explicit permission because it implies endorsement of the work.
- Support sound statistical analysis and expose incompetent or corrupt statistical practice.
- Strive to protect the professional freedom and responsibility of statistical practitioners who comply with these Guidelines.