Be an Ethical Researcher

The Methodspace focus for August 2022 is on research ethics. We are returning to a topic we have covered over the years on Methodspace, with a new direction. The title is not follow research ethics protocols, it is purposely framed as: Be an Ethical Researcher. Of course, the forms and approvals are always needed to verify consent and ensure that the proposal is viable. But authentic research ethics means going a step further to walk the proverbial talk, and infuse ethical practices into all phases of the process of designing, planning, conducting, analyzing and reporting on the study.

While ethical theories and principles endure, we need to rethink how they apply today. We are in a time of rapid change, with a global pandemic, evolving technologies, and increasing awareness of cultural sensitivities and social justice issues. To understand ways to address emerging ethical dilemmas we will explore ways researchers can:

• Stay up to date

• Include under-researched and vulnerable participants

• Conduct ethical international research and research with indigenous people

• Use ethical practices to collect data online and interact with participants online

• Build equitable, respectful research partnerships

• Work within changing government policies, and changing expectations for privacy and protection of personal data

Contributions this month will include interviews and guest posts from thoughtful researchers including Nathan Durdella, Maria Lahman, Helen Kara, Catherine Dawson, Jennifer Lawlor, Michelle O’Reilly and Jessica Lester, and more.

Featured SAGE publications about research ethics:

The SAGE journal Research Ethics is fully open-access.

If you purchase any of these books from SAGE with this code - MSPACEQ322 - receive a 20% discount. Valid through September 30, 2022.

• 100 Questions (and Answers) About Research Ethics

  Emily E. Anderson, Amy Corneli

• 100 Activities for Teaching Research Ethics and Integrity by Catherine Dawson

• Conducting Research with Human Participants: An IRB Guide for Students and Faculty by Nathan Durdella

• Ethics in Social Science Research: Becoming Culturally Responsive

  by Maria K. E. Lahman

• Research Ethics: Little Quick Fix by Cheryl N. Poth

• Research Ethics for Human Geography: A Handbook for Students by Helen F. Wilson and Jonathan Darling

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Methodspace posts about research ethics