Research Ethics

1. When you are framing a research problem –

A. Truthful basis of the problem
B. Relevance of the research problem
C. Acknowledgement of previous research that is done on the topic
D. Implications of the research on society.
E. Should you be really doing this research? Two things to be considered –
i. Is there any conflict of interest? (It means if you are holding any interest in the topic which might
affect the research topic and the stakeholders by giving you undue influence in a certain way; Example –
If you are applying in an institution where the screen process is under the supervision of a close
acquaintance of yours, then this might lead to undue influence to you in the process.
ii. The researcher must be very careful before starting her research about any conflict of interest
with respect to various aspects such as financially, politically, etc.

2. Field work and Data collection –

A. Check again for conflict of interest.
B. Informed consent from the respondents for data collection. This include detailing into the topic of
the research, basis for data collection and informing on how the data collected would be used
C. Anonymous the name of the respondents.
D. Ensure there is no harm caused to the respondents due to your research study. Practice
anonymity. Trigger warning to the respondent with respect to leaving the interview.
E. Ensure some take-aways for the community. Decolonize research. It includes not only including
their stories as data rather come back to the respondents after the research to show them what has been
produced with their stories or data.

3. Publication of research work –

A. Report your data truthfully.
B. Report the source of funding and other sources truthfully.
C. Do not plagiarize.
D. Acknowledge all the sources that have been referred or used.
E. Ensure that the paper doesn’t cause any harm to the society at large.

Qualitative Data and Quantitative Data –

1. These are two methodological approaches which origin from two different philosophies.
2. Quantitative methods are framed from the philosophy of positivism whereas qualitative methods
come from interpretive social science and critical social science.

3. Quantitative Methods –
A. Reason of research - to make laws to predict certain events or phenomenon
B. They understand that all communities and spaces have certain general distinct characteristics
which can be used to understand and predict the various events.
C. Human beings are rational, self-interested and are shaped by external processes such as
education.

4. Qualitative Methods –
A. Reason of research – to understand the event in detail
B. They understand that all the communities and spaces are very fluid and are created from various
perspectives.
C. Human beings are social beings and are constantly trying to make sense of the world in different
ways
3. Positivist Approach –
A. Reason of research - to make laws to predict certain events or phenomenon
B. They understand that all communities and spaces have certain general distinct characteristics
which can be used to understand and predict the various events.
C. Human beings are rational, self-interested and are shaped by external processes such as
education.
D. What constitutes good data – good observations which are quantified.
E. Values – science is value free and neutral. Hence research
4. Interpretive Approach –
A. Reason of research – to understand the event in detail
B. They understand that all the communities and spaces are very fluid and are created from various
perspectives.
C. Human beings are social beings and are constantly trying to make sense of the world in different
ways
D. What constitutes good data – it includes good and fluid descriptive data.
E. Values – No groups’ values are wrong but they can be different. This what is take into cognizance
by the qualitative
5. Difference between quantitative and qualitative data -
A. Quantitative researchers attempt to see the data and patterns around a phenomenon whereas
qualitative researchers dwell into the causation encompassing a pattern around a phenomenon.
B. Purpose – For a qualitative researcher is to understand – how, what, and why of a process,
whereas the quantitative tried to detail into how much and how often a certain process is carried through
by using numbers (frequency).
C. Methods of data collection – qualitative – interviews, survey, etc.; quantitative – SWOT Analysis,
detailing into frequencies, etc
D. Data analysis methods – qualitative – making interpretations or interpretative analysis from the
data we have collected; quantitative – statistical analysis
E. Outcome – qualitative – to identify and explain the reasons for a certain pattern; quantitative – to
identify the set of statistics with respect to how often and the pattern of a behavior.
F. Qualitative researchers believe in the subjectivity of the interpretation of a certain pattern and
behavior as well as the researcher and the respondent. Quantitative researchers view research as neutral
and free of subjectivity (objective in nature).
G. In qualitative methods, the researcher acts in co-producing the data by recreating and
reconstructing the process by asking questions. Whereas in quantitative methods, the researcher is a
miner and is just collecting the data rather than contributing to the data.
H. In qualitative the data is from the point of view of the respondent whereas in quantitative it is
from the point of view of the theorist.