Assignment: Research Ethics

You are in the process of writing a research proposal. As part of this proposal you must include a discussion of your own ethical obligations as a researcher. In your proposal, include a 400 to 500-word section on research ethics and answer the following questions:

1. What are the relevant institutions, organizations, and documents that govern your ethical obligations as a researcher? Identify all that apply. If you are doing research in a country other than your home country, you need to consider the ethical guidelines in that context as well.
2. Based on the policies outlined in the documents you’ve identified, does your research require review or approval from a research ethics board? If so, why? If not, why not?
3. Identify the potential benefits of your research for individuals and communities. Who will benefit and how?
4. Keeping in mind the methods you have selected, identify whether there are any potential risks of harm for participants. These could include harms to physical, emotional, social, or economic wellbeing.
5. How will you ensure that participants’ data remains confidential? How would you ensure that no one else can access the private, personal information of your participants? Some examples include: storing electronic files on a password protected device to which no one else has access; or, anonymizing the data in your records by assigning each participant a code such as “Participant A1”, “Participant A2” and so on, and keeping this list separate from the data so that identifying information does not accompany private data.
6. Will participants be anonymous in the papers or presentations you produce as a result of this research?

Include your responses to these questions in the following Google Form.