Chapter Two - Additional Resources

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH 

(TO BE AGREED BEFORE THE RESEARCH COMMENCES)

• Responsibility to Research

• The researcher should be competent and aware of what is involved in conducting research
• The research must be conducted rigorously and with the correct procedures – avoid misuse of procedures at all stages
• Report procedures accurately and publicly (rigour)
• Don’t jeopardize future research(ers)
• Report clearly and make data available for checking
• Tell the truth (do not tell lies or falsify data, avoid being unfairly selective, e.g. to support a case, do not misrepresent data)
• Maintain the integrity and autonomy of the research, e.g. avoid censorship of or interference with the research by sponsors/those who give permission for the research to be undertaken

• Responsibility to Participants and Audience(s)

• Gain fully informed consent (usually in writing), in order to respect self-determination and autonomy; provide information on all aspects of the research and its possible consequences
• Decide whether overt or covert research is required/justified
• Ensure non-maleficence (no harm, hurt or suffering to be caused to participants and those who might be affected by the research); be humane
• Ensure beneficence (the research will bring benefit to the participants or will contribute to the welfare of participants)
• Respect people’s rights and dignity and interests, and be respectful – research participants are subjects, not objects to be exploited. Treat people as subjects, not objects
• Agree individual’s rights to privacy,
• Ensure participants have the right to withdraw at any time
• Inform participants who will have access to the data/report, i.e. the audiences of the research, how public it will be, when it will become public, and how it will be disseminated; negotiate levels of release (i.e. who see which parts of the research)
• Ensure anonymity/confidentiality/non-traceability; if these are not possible then tell participants in advance
• Indicate how anonymity will be addressed (e.g. by confidentiality, aggregation of data)
• Inform participants how data will be collected and how files/questionnaires/audio-cassettes / video-cassettes will be stored during the research and destroyed after use)
• Ensure sensitivity to people (e.g. age, ethnicity, gender, culture, religion, language, socio-economic status etc.)
• Ensure honesty with people
• Gain permission from all relevant parties (e.g. parents/guardians, principals etc.) for access
• Respect vulnerability (e.g. in interviewing children/ those without power)
• Agree respondent validation
• Agree ownership of the data (and when ownership passes from participants to researcher)
• Allow time for review
• Avoid causing unnecessary offence
• Ensure that participants and sponsors have the right to dissent/distance themselves from the research
• Demonstrate social responsibility and obligations
• Consider indemnification
• Don’t abuse your position/power as a researcher
• Don’t use dangerous methods