Ethics, Human Resources, Management
Discuss the ethical issues that need to be considered when you (1) design a research project, (2) collect data, and (3) analyze and report data.
When a research project is designed, data is collected, and then the data is analyzed and reported, there are a number of ethical issues that have to be carefully considered. Unfortunately, many researchers who are inexperienced are not clear on how they should address the issues that surround the collection of data (Cohen & Arieli, 2011). That is especially true if the project requires the researcher to collect data from human subjects, as there are additional points that have to be raised and more care that has to be taken (Gorard, 2013; Kara, 2012). The design of the research project should take that into account, and should work with that information from the beginning so that there are no surprises in the future. Without the proper preparation, it can be very difficult for a researcher to collect the data properly, creating further problems when analysis is attempted. This issue can be controlled for at the beginning of the planning phase of the project with proper techniques.
Here the actual design of a project will be addressed, along with the specific ways that data are collected and how that data is analyzed and reported on -- all within the context of remaining as ethical as possible. Ethics in research are a significant part of every study, as they always have to be considered. Some studies have far fewer ethical considerations, because they do not work with human subjects. Other studies require information from people, and when that is necessary there are ethical problems that can arise (Creswell, 2008; Freshwater, Sherwood, & Drury, 2006). Researchers who are not ethical can cause problems with the study, but can also cause difficulties for the people who were willing to participate in the study. These participants need to know that the information they provide will be protected, or they will be much less likely to want to participant -- and that can lead to problems for the study based on the sample size the researcher needs.
Research Project Design
The first issue to be considered when it comes to ethics in research studies is the design of the project itself. A research project can be designed to be qualitative or quantitative, but there is more to the issue than just that. Additionally, there are considerations such as whether human subjects will be used for the study (Rocco, Hatcher, & Creswell, 2011). If participants' information is going to be collected, there are several ways that can be done. They all have their ethical implications. If the study is going to go forward based on a review of past literature, and is not going to contain information regarding any new subjects, then ethics are not a serious concern (Gorard, 2013). Researcher would have a difficult time being unethical by analyzing past studies and creating a literature review on which their current study would be based. However, when human participants are used in the study, there is much more that has to be considered from the standpoint of ethics. This is among the most important considerations in the research project design.
The creation of a research project does not have to be difficult, conceptually. However, it can and does take time and effort to create a project with which one feels comfortable. That is especially true if there are going to be human subjects used in the study. The number of subjects used, where they will come from, and what they will be asked all has to be addressed as part of the project (Cohen & Arieli, 2011). These are areas with which some researchers struggle when it comes to how to act ethically. It is not that these researchers strive to be deliberately unethical, but only that they focus on what they want to get from the study and do not always take how they will get that information into account (Cohen & Arieli, 2011). Additionally, they may not be clear on what they need to do in order to get the information from the participants and still protect privacy.
In order to make sure the research project is conducted ethically and properly from the planning stages, there are several things that must be considered. These will have to be addressed before the data collection can be planned and before the study can move forward, in order to ensure proper procedures. To ensure proper planning...
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