Ethical issues in research

Overview

Informed consent, confidentiality and anonymity, harm, deception and covert research, pseudonyms, debriefing and ethics committees, with the ethics of Patrick's and Holdaway's studies.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What are research ethics?

   Model answer

   Research ethics are the moral rules that guide how sociologists treat the people they study. The British Sociological Association publishes a statement setting out these rules.

2. 2

   What is informed consent?

   Model answer

   Informed consent means participants agree to take part after being told what the research involves. Participants must also know they can withdraw at any time.

3. 3

   Why is informed consent harder to obtain from children?

   Model answer

   Young children may not fully understand what they are agreeing to. Researchers usually ask a parent or guardian to consent as well.

4. 4

   What is confidentiality in research?

   Model answer

   Confidentiality means what participants share is kept private and not passed on. Data must be stored securely and used only for the stated purpose.

5. 5

   How does anonymity differ from confidentiality?

   Model answer

   Anonymity means participants' names and identifying details are never recorded or published. Confidentiality keeps what people said private, even when the researcher knows who they are.

6. 6

   What counts as harm to participants?

   Model answer

   Harm includes physical injury, stress, embarrassment, and damage to someone's reputation or relationships. Participants should never be left worse off for taking part.

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