The document discusses the background and definition of research ethics. It defines ethics as norms for conduct that distinguish acceptable from unacceptable behavior. Research ethics refers to rules that define proper conduct for researchers and are aimed at protecting human subjects. The history of modern research ethics is traced back to unethical medical experiments conducted by Nazi doctors during World War 2, which led to the Nuremberg Code establishing ethical principles for research involving human subjects. Other influential documents discussed include the Helsinki Declaration, Belmont Report, and controversies like the Tuskegee Syphilis Study.