Chapter 5 Research Ethics All researchers, even students, have a responsibility to conduct ethical research Participants in research studies should know and understand their rights and responsibilities Ethical considerations are part of the design of the research project

Ethical Questions in Planning Research Researcher has two broad ethical responsibilities Scientific responsibility for following established guidelines and conducting research that will yield knowledge worth knowing The researcher’s relationship to participants as it affects collection, interpretation, and reporting of data

Ethical Questions in Planning Research What are the benefits of this study? How will the consent of participants be gained? How will confidentiality/anonymity be handled? Are the participants appropriate for the study? Are there potential physical or psychological harms How will the researcher’s role affect the study? Is the research design valid, credible? Is researcher capable of conducting the study?

The Belmont Report Guidelines adopted by federal departments and agencies Three ethical principles Beneficence Respect for persons Justice Goal is to design study to uphold these principles to the fullest degree possible

Beneficence The well-being of participants is protected Participants protected from harm Researcher must maximize possible benefits Benefits to participants must outweigh the risks

Respect for Persons Treat individuals as capable of making decisions Refrain from making choices for participants Participants must feel free to volunteer; no coercion Protecting those not capable of making their own decisions

Justice Issues of fairness All participants treated equally Selection of participants Am I systematically selecting one group of participants because they are Easily available? In a position making it difficult to say no? In a position in which they can be manipulated into participating?

Institutional Review Board Institutional Review Board – IRB Human Subjects Review In place in each university to consider the soundness and reasonableness of research proposals Submit proposal before any data are collected Boards determine if rights and welfare of research participants are adequately protected

IRB Proposals Research questions or hypotheses Brief review of literature Description of how participants are recruited/selected Informed consent Research methods How benefits are maximized, risks minimized Anonymity & confidentiality Investigator’s background

Informed Consent Information must be given to participants any time data are collected from them Creates obligations and responsibilities for the researcher Participant consent must be given voluntarily Written in a manner participants can understand – clear and accurate

Elements of Informed Consent Identification of researcher and organization Purpose of study Features of the research process Expected duration Possible risks and benefits How confidentiality and anonymity will be assured Any physical or psychological harms If deception is used To whom follow-up questions can be directed Participation is voluntary Can discontinue at any time or refuse to participate without penalty Indication that participant should have copy of form

Informed Consent for Quantitative Research Traditionally applied to all quantitative projects Describes the exact procedures Indicates if participants will be exposed to any materials that may be threatening or distasteful May require participant to sign and return a copy of the form

Informed Consent for Qualitative Research IRB will decide if informed consent is needed based on Is interaction occurring naturally in a public setting? Will researcher’s interaction with participants in that setting create negative consequences for any of the participants? Always check with your IRB to see if consent is required

Ethical Issues in Conducting Research Intentional deception Use of confederates Physical and psychological harm Upholding anonymity and confidentiality Videotaping and audiotaping participants Debriefing participants

Ethical Issues in Reporting Research Ensuring accuracy Researcher is always responsible for accuracy regardless of who helps Avoiding plagiarism by Using direct quotes with proper citations Using summaries or paraphrases Acknowledge ideas or contributions Protecting identities of participants