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Carrying out research for policy and advocacy work
Carrying out research for policy and advocacy work

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2.2 Research ethics in practice

When you are carrying out policy projects involving research with human participants, there are typical issues you will need to consider. These include:

  • the impact of taking part in the research, and any risks to the participants
  • ensuring the questions you ask are relevant to the research and are not too broad
  • the information you will give to the participants about the research
  • obtaining informed consent from the participants
  • ensuring the participants’ anonymity
  • keeping all data obtained from the participants secure and compliant with data protection laws.

You will need to check with your organisation whether there is a formal ethics approval process you need to follow before starting your research.

Described image
Figure 5 The ongoing process of research
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Figure 5 shows a diagram with a central box headed ‘ethics’. Around this central box are four other boxes. From the top of the central box is an arrow that points at a box above, which is headed ‘methodology’. An arrow leads to a box on the right, headed ‘research’. An arrow leads to a box underneath, headed ‘analysis’. An arrow leads to a box on the left, headed ‘writing the report’.

Figure 5 The ongoing process of research

It is also important to remember that research ethics is an ongoing process and does not end with planning of your research and any ethical approval, as shown in Figure 5. As you carry out your research, you have a responsibility to ensure you continue to abide by ethical principles. Remember the four key principles: respect, honesty, fairness and care.

You will now consider how you will use these four key principles while carrying out your policy research.

Activity 3 Reflecting on research ethics

Timing: You should allow yourself 15 minutes to do this activity.

Reflect on how you will ensure your research is carried out ethically. How will the overarching principles of respect, honesty, fairness and care influence or change the way you approach your policy project?

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Comment

Each person’s reflections will depend on the project they are carrying out, and so will be different. You may have considered how the need to ensure respect will influence the way you will work with your fellow researchers or any other participants in the project. In order to be honest, you will need to make sure you record any data or findings that are contrary to the recommendations you may want to make. Fairness means that you need to make sure you approach your research collection objectively, rather than focusing on collecting data that may support your conclusions. To research carefully means making sure you design the project carefully and record any data carefully to avoid mistakes.