Engaging in ethical reflection means reflecting (ideally with others or in a multidisciplinary fashion) on one's actions, their consequences, and the underlying values and principles. In the context of research projects, this process means reflecting on a project's objectives, the means used to achieve these objectives, and the project's consequences. It involves verifying that, even if the project can help advance knowledge or even societal development, the work will not detrimentally affect individuals, groups, organisations, or countries...as well as living species (non-humans) or the environment. In this process, ensuring legal compliance is a prerequisite as it establishes a framework for practices and imposes limits. However, legal compliance is not the core of the process, as the law cannot cover or regulate all our actions; indeed, only certain topics, sometimes because of abuses or growing societal pressure, have become subject to regulation. Furthermore, ethical reflection is not the simple enumeration of principles and shared theoretical values. Instead, it also raises questions about how these principles and values are put into practice during a specific project. This self-assessment guide was designed to help you with this complex process. Ethical reflection involves a critical analysis of the project's objectives, your own motivations and those of your partners, the methods employed, and the associated risks. You can engage in ethical reflection whether you are a project coordinator or simply a project partner. It must be undertaken before the project begins and should continue throughout its implementation.

You are encouraged to consider the most appropriate choices for your specific context using collective and personal value scales; it is also important to distinguish between what is feasible and what is ethically acceptable, putting yourself in the place of study participants considering things from the perspective of participants, your research partners, and future generations while also respecting living species and the environment. This guide also addresses many regulatory issues that are linked to ethical reflection. More specifically, this self-assessment can help you identify the regulations with which you must comply and invites you to explore these issues in greater depth to ensure that you are in legal compliance 1,2 . Ethical reflection must not be reduced to a list of boxes to check. This guide contains many open-ended questions that should be discussed with others, such as your project partners or your local work group (team or unit), for example. You should take as much time as needed to identify the relevant questions, reflect on them, and, if necessary, modify your project accordingly.