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Understanding bias and ethics in research is critical for both researchers and consumers of research. It facilitates sound decision-making, builds public trust in research, and ensures that research contributes positively to society. Authentic research opportunities can be critical for developing these skills, but are lacking in high school contexts. We designed and implemented MindHive, a curriculum and online platform for students to design and conduct online human behavior studies. Qualitative analysis of 98 student-generated research proposals and 21 individual interviews with students from across 6 high schools, identified various ways that students engaged with bias and ethical issues within their projects. Engaging in research about personally relevant questions and contexts may support students in shuttling between personal experiences and data, and taking on perspectives that help to reveal and address assumptions. Findings contribute to an understanding of how curriculum can meaningfully engage students in reasoning about research bias and ethics.