The only way is ethics - slides from the session

1. C.L.TUPLING
ACHIEVING ETHICAL RESEARCH

2. “The value of research depends as much on its
ethical veracity as on the novelty of its discoveries”
(Walliman, 2006: p. 147)

3. C.L.TUPLING
What are ethics?
Refers to the rules of
conduct of carrying out
research
Ethical issues are
present at all stages of
research
Essential part of the
research process

4. C.L.TUPLING
Ethics Committees
Proposed methodology, methods of data
collection, and approach to ethical issues
scrutinised by peers
Judgements are are made in accordance with
principles and relevant codes of ethics

5. C.L.TUPLING
Codes of Ethics
Underpinned by:
Nuremberg Code
(1947-49)
Declaration of Helsinki
(1964)

6. C.L.TUPLING
4 Key Principles
Protection of the interests of participants
Voluntary participation based on informed consent
No deception
Confirms to national laws
See Denscombe (2010)

7. C.L.TUPLING
Key Considerations
Respect
Equity
Do no harm
Protection of vulnerable participants

8. C.L.TUPLING
Rights of Participants
Informed Consent
Anonymity
Confidentiality
Privacy
Dignity

9. C.L.TUPLING
Sampling &
Representativeness
Sites where access is convenient
Who does this include/exclude?
Representativeness
Not an aim of qualitative research, but
Issues of inclusiveness
Privacy

10. C.L.TUPLING
Participants or
Subjects?
Research on a group vs research with a group
Exploitation
Getting out

11. C.L.TUPLING
Children as participants
Research on children vs research with children
Adults instigate research/guard access
Children as co-researchers

12. C.L.TUPLING
Consent
What is informed consent?
What age can children give
consent?
Can very young children give
consent?
Who has right to consent on
behalf of children/vulnerable
adults?
Active consent vs failure to
dissent

13. C.L.TUPLING
Deception
Meaning of deception?
Is deception ever
acceptable?
Is deception desirable?
Purposes of deception

14. C.L.TUPLING
Access & Gatekeepers
Negotiating access
Contacts and power relationships
Pressure to take part?
Adults gatekeep access to children
Motivation/Purpose of consent on behalf of
children

15. C.L.TUPLING
Incentives
Bribery?
Recompense?
How do you encourage participation?

16. C.L.TUPLING
Research Settings
Characteristics of research participants
Characteristics of researcher
Gender/ethnicity/age/class/appearance
Location of research

17. C.L.TUPLING
Harm
No harm principle -
realistic?
Innocent intentions
misinterpreted
Distress - response?
Disclosure - action?

18. C.L.TUPLING
Benefits
Research aims to benefit
Who does research benefit
Do benefits justify methodology/methods/sample?

19. C.L.TUPLING
Privacy and
Confidentiality
Participants should be
non-identifiable
Achievable?
Small scale
qualitative research
Limits to confidentiality

20. C.L.TUPLING
Ethical Dilemmas
Arise during course of
research
Can they be
envisaged?
How you respond to
the situation

21. C.L.TUPLING
Conclusion
Research ethics - balance - likelihood of harm -
benefits of research
Reflect on ethical issues of in/famous research
studies

22. C.L.TUPLING
Bibliography
Bryman, A. (2012) Social Research Methods, 4th
ed, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Denscombe, M. (2010) The Good Research Guide:
for small-scale social research projects 4th editon,
Maidenhead: Open University Press
Walliman, N. (2006) Social Research Methods,
London: Sage