Ethical considerations in identifying a research focus, developing a
research question and selecting a research method
Ethics is an important consideration in all forms of research. From
archival to clinical research, researchers must be concerned with ensuring that
their work is morally right. There are several key ethical considerations of
research, primarily the issue of confidentiality. Confidentiality refers to
limiting access to specific data, often by using codes to identify the original
source or person. Anonymity however means that names and unique identifiers are
never attached to the data, or known to the researcher.
In addition to
confidentiality there are several other human rights that must be protected when
humans are part of the research process. These include; freedom from harm, full
disclosure, respect for people, informed consent & minimization of harm.
During
the identification of a research question it is imperative to identify a problem
that will benefit and not marginalize the study participants. Therefore it
becomes important for researchers to convey the purpose of study to the
participants, otherwise participants would feel deceptive.
The research
question, ethics, budget and time are all major considerations in any design.
Before studying the preferred methods for the individual scientific discipline,
every experimental design must make compromises and generalizations, so the
researcher must try to minimize these, whilst remaining realistic. In biology,
psychology and social sciences, there can be a huge variety of methods to choose
from, and a researcher will have to justify their choice. Whilst slightly
arbitrary, the best way to look at the various methods is in terms of strength.
Professor. Ulfat Bashir
BDS, MCPS, FCPS.
Editor in Chief,
Pakistan Orthodontic
Journal.