Ethics are crucial in sociological research, especially when dealing with sensitive issues. Researchers must pay attention to how they present their findings and ensure that they respect the privacy of the participants, who are more than just subjects of study. It is essential to protect their identities through the use of pseudonyms and by modifying details like names, events, and locations. This practice ensures that the research results do not compromise the privacy of the people involved.
A researcher’s responsibility is twofold: they must do justice to the research and the people who contribute to it. It’s important to spell out in the research design how the findings will be reported, as this determines how the data will be shared with the public, including the participants themselves. The presentation of results represents the contribution to the broader body of knowledge, which should be done ethically and thoughtfully.
In ethnographic research, the objective is to understand the meanings and activities of people within a particular field or setting. This style of research requires close association, and sometimes participation, with the group being studied. Researchers typically start with a general understanding of the issues they are interested in, and the specific research questions often emerge as the fieldwork progresses. Field researchers must first designate a setting and gain access to it. An ethical decision needs to be made about whether to enter the field openly as a researcher or covertly, where the actual purpose of the study is not revealed. The ethics of covert research are widely debated, as it raises concerns about whether it is fair to study people without their knowledge. Furthermore, researchers must consider the potential “reactive effects” – the idea that their presence in the setting might change the behaviour of the participants.
Writing about research often leads to new ethical considerations. As researchers write, they may discover ideas they hadn’t previously considered. For example, in 1992, a doctoral candidate preparing to submit a dissertation was asked to present on the ethics of fieldwork. Though the candidate initially didn’t know what to say, the process of writing led to a deeper reflection on the role of payments to respondents. This is a reminder that writing is not just about recording ideas, it is also a way of thinking through ethical issues that may arise in research.
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