Paper III

1. Paper III Qualitative research methodology

2. Objective 1.4 Discuss ethical considerations in qualitative research

3. Ethics are codes or rules which govern that practices of a research study. • It dictates how information, and participant relationships should be managed. Code of ethics and the laws are mutually exclusive. Ethical Considerations

4. An action may be legal but unethical. However some acts are both illegal and unethical. • Ethical considerations occur when you are required to use these rules to better serve your participant in your research study. Ethical Considerations

5. There are, overall, the same ethical issues involved in qualitative research as in qualitative research. • These include: • Informed Consent • Protection from psychological and physical harm • Respect for the participants’ integrity and privacy • The right to withdraw General Ethical Concerns

6. However, there are special ethical considerations to be made due to the very nature of qualitative research. • The characteristics of qualitative or field research usually include close personal contact with the participant. • Special care must be made in order to ensure the protection of the participants and those in the field which researchers study. Qualitative Ethical Concerns

7. Ethical issues such as anonymity may arise in case studies or in research designs with a small number of participants, because of the risk that they may be identified in research reports. • Informed consent and protection from harm may become issues when considering the nature of many environments that qualitative researchers look to uncover. Qualitative Ethical Concerns

8. The general rule of psychological research states that informed consent should always be obtained. • The nature of some qualitative studies, however, may warrant exceptions to this rule. • Some review boards will offer a pardon to this rule if the outcome outweighs the potential harm of uninformed participants (as in the case with studying addictions or violence in a street gang). Informed Consent

9. The researchers must explicitly make clear to any participant that participation is voluntary. • As with case studies, participants must always be afforded the right to withdraw their information and any other data. Informed Consent

10. The researchers must take preventive action in all research, to avoid harming the participants. • This is particularly true in sensitive research topics, such as domestic or drug abuse. • This is where informed consent becomes increasingly important. Researchers must always remain transparent about the nature of interview questions, the purpose of focus groups, and the objectives of observations. Protection from harm

11. The participants should always be informed about the issues surrounding anonymity and confidentiality. • The identity of the participants should not be known outside of the research team, but in the case where sampling has involved a third party (i.e. managers, class mates, teachers), this cannot be done, and in this case the participants should be informed. Anonymity and confidentiality

12. To assure someone of confidentiality means that what has been discussed will not be repeated, or at least, not without permission. • The notion of confidentiality (and anonymity) is invariably raised and discussed with research participants prior to their participation in research. • These issues are usually discussed in the informed consent form. Anonymity and confidentiality

13. To assure someone of confidentiality means that what has been discussed will not be repeated, or at least, not without permission. • The notion of confidentiality (and anonymity) is invariably raised and discussed with research participants prior to their participation in research. • These issues are usually discussed in the informed consent form. Anonymity and confidentiality

14. Take the next 5 minutes to outline the general ideas from this objective in your notebook (from the notes that you have). • Have a great lunch! Reflection