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Research

Ethics
REPORT BY JESSA ADRIATICO / KIM TIANGCO

Ethical
Considerations

The Individual Researcher

Before, during and after conducting a study, a researcher has


opportunities to, and should, reflect on research actions and consult
his or her conscience. Ethical research depends on the integrity of
the individual researcher and his or her values.

Chapter 17: Social Research Methods:


Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (W. Lawrence Nueman)

The Research Benefit Scale

Potential Social
Benefit
Potential
Risk or Harm

Chapter 3: Ethical Issues Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences
Bruce L. Berg, California University

Ethical Considerations

Informed Consent A fundamental ethical principle of social


research is: Never coerce anyone into participating; participation
must be voluntary. It is not enough to get permission from the
subjects; they need to know what they are being asked to
participate in so that they can make an informed decision.

Chapter 17: Social Research Methods:


Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (W. Lawrence Nueman)

Ethical Considerations:
Informed Consent

Informed Consent Statements Contain:


1.

A brief description of the purpose and procedure of the research, including


the expected duration of the study

2.

A statement of any risks or discomfort associated with participation

3.

A guarantee of anonymity and the confidentiality of records

4.

The identification of the researcher and of where to receive information


about subjects rights or questions about the study

5.

A statement that participation is completely voluntary and can be


terminated at any time without penalty

6.

A statement of alternative procedures that may be used

7.

A statement of any benefits or compensation provided to subjects and the


number of subjects involved

8.

An offer to provide a summary of findings

Chapter 17: Social Research Methods:


Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (W. Lawrence Nueman)

Ethical Considerations

Privacy Survey researchers invade a persons privacy when they


probe into beliefs, backgrounds, and behaviors in a way that
reveals intimate private details.

Chapter 17: Social Research Methods:


Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (W. Lawrence Nueman)

Ethical Considerations

Anonymity Researchers protect privacy by not disclosing a


subjects identity after information is gathered. This takes two forms,
both of which require separating an individuals identity from his or
her responses: anonymity and confidentiality. Anonymity means that
subjects remain anonymous or nameless.

Confidentiality Event if anonymity is not possible, researchers


should protect confidentiality. Anonymity protects the identity of
specific individuals from being known. Confidentiality means that
information may have names attached to it, but the researchers
holds it in confidence or keeps it secret.

Chapter 17: Social Research Methods:


Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (W. Lawrence Nueman)

Violations

Scientific Misconduct

Scientific Misconduct - Scientific misconduct occurs when a


researcher falsifies or distorts the data or the methods of data
collection, or plagiarizes the work of others

Research fraud occurs when a researcher fakes or invents data that we


not really collected, or falsely reports how research was conducted.

Plagiarism is fraud that occurs when a researcher steals the ideas of


writings of another or uses them without citing the source.

Chapter 17: Social Research Methods:


Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (W. Lawrence Nueman)

Unethical, but legal

Behavior may be unethical but not break the law.

Chapter 17: Social Research Methods:


Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (W. Lawrence Nueman)

Harming Research Subjects

Physical Harm, Psychological Abuse, Stress, or Legal Jeopardy:

Social research can harm a research subject in several ways: physical


harm, psychological harm, legal harm, and harm to a persons career or
income.

Chapter 17: Social Research Methods:


Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (W. Lawrence Nueman)

Harming Research Subjects

Physical Harm A straightforward ethical principle is that


researchers should not cause physical harm. An ethical researcher
anticipates risks before beginning research, including basic safety
concerns.

Psychological Abuse, Stress, or Loss of self-esteem Researchers


learn about how people respond in real-life, highly anxiety
producing situations by placing subjects in realistic situations of
psychological discomfort or stress.

Chapter 17: Social Research Methods:


Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (W. Lawrence Nueman)

Harming Research Subjects

Legal Harm A researcher is responsible for protecting subjects from


increased risk of arrest. If participation in research increases the risk
of arrest, subjects will distrust researchers and be unwilling to
participate in future research. Researchers may be able to secure
clearance from law enforcement authorities before conducting
certain types of research.

Other Harm to Subjects Research subjects may face other types of


harm. For example, a survey interview may create anxiety and
discomfort among subjects who are asked to recall unpleasant
events. The ethical researcher is sensitive to any harm to subjects,
considers possible precautions, and weighs potential harm against
potential benefits.

Chapter 17: Social Research Methods:


Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (W. Lawrence Nueman)

Deception

Deception Social researchers sometimes deceive or lie to subjects


in field and experimental research. A researcher might misinterpret
his or her actions or true intentions for legitimate methodological
reasons: If subjects knew the true purpose, they would modify their
behavior, making it impossible to learn of their real behavior, or
access to a research site might be impossible if he or she told the
truth.

Chapter 17: Social Research Methods:


Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (W. Lawrence Nueman)

Ethics in
Interviewing

Ethics in Interviewing

Interviews, like all evaluation methods, have ethical standards to


follow. Due to the personal, conversational nature of interviews, five
basic ethical issues should be considered as you plan

Ethics of Interviewing - Adapted from the text: Qualitative Evaluation and Research
Methods, Patton, M.Q. (1990)

Ethics in Interviewing

Confidentiality

Informed Consent

Risk Assessment

Promises / Reciprocity How will the subject benefit from this


interview? How will this benefit the subjects community?

Special Issues Regarding Minors Interviewing minors has a host of


special ethical issues including, but not limited to, informed consent
of the parent or guardian.

Ethics of Interviewing - Adapted from the text: Qualitative Evaluation and Research
Methods, Patton, M.Q. (1990)

Ethics in
Ethnography

Ethics in Ethnography

Justifiable interventions - Given the nature of the intrusiveness that


ethnographic approaches normally adopt, good reasons have to be
given for interfering in peoples lives to such an extent. The question Is
this research really necessary? is essentially an ethical one.

Researchers competence - Ethnography is extremely skilled work


balancing being a member of the group as well as collecting data can
be quite complex. Researchers should demonstrate that they either
have these skills or provision is made for them to acquire them through
training and practice.

Research Quality and Design - It is generally accepted that poorly


designed research is inherently unethical since it wastes researchers
and subjects time and energy if the results are less than useful.

Research Ethics in Ethnography/Anthropology Dr. Ron Iphofen, AcSS

Ethics in Ethnography

Minimizing Harm, Maximizing Benefit The heart of ethical scrutiny is


the attempt to balance the risk of harm against the potential for
benefits that can accrue to individuals, groups, communities,
organizations and even societies from research participation.

Selecting, Recruiting, Retaining and Releasing Participants - The


relationship with research subjects must be carefully managed and
controlled at each stage of the research process. This means
thinking about how subjects are chosen and encouraged to join a
research project, how they are encouraged to remain in the project
for the duration and how their withdrawal from a project is
facilitated.

Research Ethics in Ethnography/Anthropology Dr. Ron Iphofen, AcSS

Ethics in Ethnography

Giving Information and Seeking Consent - The use of the phrase


informed consent makes it clear that gaining consent cannot
easily be separated from the giving of information. The phrase
voluntary informed consent implies that subjects should be able to
choose freely to consent to participate in research.

Monitoring Safety - The monitoring of physical safety should not be


separated from ethical scrutiny any potential risks to safety need
to be assessed and if the researcher feels unsafe or anticipates risk
of harm to themselves or the potential for harm to their subjects this
concern must be addressed.

Dealing with Vulnerability - The perception of subjects as vulnerable


is likely to be influenced by diverse cultural preconceptions and so
regulated differentially by localized legislation.

Research Ethics in Ethnography/Anthropology Dr. Ron Iphofen, AcSS

Ethics in Ethnography

Privacy and Confidentiality - protecting the privacy of research


subjects and keeping any information they provide as confidential.

Involving Subjects in Research full collaborators or co-researchers

Disseminating Findings - There is a surprising range of ethical issues


associated with the dissemination and reporting of project findings.
The series of questions that need to be addressed about publication
include those contained in the classic mass communication
formula: what is communicated, to whom, how, when and why?

Research Ethics in Ethnography/Anthropology Dr. Ron Iphofen, AcSS

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