Educational researchers should be aware of the general consensus of the research community as to what is proper and improper in the conduct of educational research, since there is as yet no explicit code of ethics. Accordingly, this paper examines existing ethical standards to initiate discussion of issues specific to the educational research enterprise. The introduction discusses existing legislative and legal guidelines for educational research in the United States and Canada, followed by ethical principles endorsed by other social science disciplines. This is followed by indepth discussion of the following key issues that require the attention of educational researchers: (1) the rights of participants; (2) feasibility; (3) confidentiality; (4) full and frank disclosure of research findings; (5) elimination of bias on the basis of race, sex, and minority characteristics; (6) the use and misuse of data banks; (7) impartiality; and (8) professional responsibility in the conduct of research. (TE)