CCCC is committed to supporting research that helps writers, teachers, students, and the general public more fully understand writing, rhetoric, and communication in all forms and contexts. As a professional organization, we also wish to support the ethical conduct of research. Ethical considerations are relevant to all research methods in writing and rhetorical studies. Ethical conduct in research is not just about compliance with policies, regulations, and laws but also about our active and ongoing involvement and responsibility throughout the research process.
The following guidelines apply to research efforts by scholars, teachers, administrators, students, and others that are directed toward the publication of a book or journal article, presentation at a conference, preparation of a thesis or dissertation, display on a website, public-facing work, or other general dissemination of the results of research and scholarship. These guidelines apply to formally planned investigations, and they likewise apply to emergent studies that discuss writers and writing that researchers encounter in other ways, such as when teaching classes, holding student conferences, directing academic programs, conducting research in nonacademic settings, or going about their professional, civic, and personal lives. It is important to remember that ethical research practices do not end with following policy but should be at the foundation of how a researcher orients their work to the responsible stewardship of humans and their data generally.
Read the full statement, CCCC Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research in Composition Studies (November 2003, revised March 2015, Revised March 2025)
