INRS 7311 Learning Unit 7 Validity , Reliability , Trustworthiness and Ethics Theme 2 : Ethics in Research

Question 1

Argue the importance of ethics in research 10 marks

Answer 1

*The ethics of the researcher is vital , as it effects all of the stakeholders involved in the research .
*Typical stakeholders in researcher (and why they care about your ethics )
*Study participants : must trust you and not feel exploited
Broader public : must believe in the credibility of your results .
*Local/international research community : Want a relaible source to quote from in their own research
*Your own academic institution : wants to maintain its own reputation by still being associated with you .
*Funders/donors : Wants to avoid wasting resources and ruining its own reputation
*Community directly benefiting from the research : unethical research affects those involved in the study directly .
*Policy makers : Will not want to base policy off unethical research .
*Mass media : Run the risk of misinforming high volumes of people if unethical research is published .
*The researcher themselves : unethical research only serves to damage the researchers reputation .

Question 2

Consider the ethical issues relating in research relating to participants : 12 marks

Answer 2

• Informed consent : Participants must know they are being studied . . They must give consent , guardians/parents must be asked if the participant is a minor .
• Data collection : Make the participants comfortable , don’t waste their time, avoid embarassing questions etc . *Dealing with sensitive information :Researcher is ethically bound to protect sensitive info as a matter of principle .
• Providing incentives : Avoid offering incentives as it could alter peoples responses as well as who participates or not .
• Avoiding harm : Participants must not be harmed at all costs (mental , physical , emotional)
• Avoiding deception : Avoid deception as much as possible . eg’s = misquoting what the research is really about , covering the research’s true purpose .

Question 3

Differentiate between confidentiality and anonymity 4 marks

Answer 3

• Confidentiality : Researcher knows ID and answers of participant but ensures that no-one else finds this information out .
• Anonymity :The researchers record no identifying info about the participants at all , and thus cannot linked any particular answer to any particular participant .

Question 4

Explain ethical issues in research relating to researchers

Answer 4

*Falsifying information : Intentional alteration of results Reasons why it happens : bribery , keep your job , increase your status , get a desired outcome , save reputation , acquire or keep funding , avoid difficult part of research .
*Distorting results: Quotation of numbers out of context to make them seem more significant than they are .
*Bias : Subtle . Researcher unknowingly influences the research to achieve their predetermined outcome .
Misusing information : Use of the final data for things other than explicitly stated and permitted by the research and its participants .
Using inappropriate research methods : Use of a method that is harmful , unsuitable or both .