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A training of professionalism in doing social research
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Understanding professionalism and ethics in SOCIAL RESEARCH ENUMERATORS TRAINING Dr Susan Mlangwa June 2014
Presentation Outline • Introduction • Ethical interaction with human subjects • Role of the Data Collector • Importance of Respect • Voluntary Participation • Informed Consent • Data integrity • Respect for the Science of the Study • Collecting, Recording, and Storing Study Data • Deviations from Study Procedures
Introduction • Ethics in social research involves: • Ethical interaction with human subjects. • How to relate with your respondents while conducting research and • Data integrity. • How to respect and keep the data you obtain from the field.
Ethical interaction with human subjects • Role of the Data Collector • You are the “ambassador” of the research team. “You may show a good impression of the study or a bad impression of the study, depending on how you present yourself”. • It is your responsibility to ensure your respondents understand what they are agreeing to do.
Ethical interaction with human subjects • Importance of Respect Each person who is part of the research team must show respect for: • the goals of the research project, • the leaders of the project, • the individual study participant, • the participant community and • the data collected that will help achieve project objectives.
Ethical interaction with human subjects • Voluntary Participation • No individual person is required to participate in a research project. • Individual can refuse to join study, or join and stop halfway. • Ensure individual understands what the study is about and truly/willingly agrees to join the study.
Ethical interaction with human subjects • Informed consent. • Provide correct, factual information to persons being approached to join a study about the project to enable them to to ask questions and to think about the decision whether or not to join the study. • Use language and style of communication that should enable a participant to understand. • An introduction letter can be used.
Ethical interaction with human subjects • Personal Privacy • Individuals have a right to privacy that the research team must understand and respect. • Be sensitive where the interview is taking place, preferable where other people cannot hear the questions or responses. • Get the cue tothoughts that one might not want to talk about.
Ethical interaction with human subjects • Protection of Personal Information • Keep personal information safeaway from public. • A random study number is normally used to identify the data so that no one will know which participant the data came from.
Ethical interaction with human subjects • Response to Participant Questions • Be prepared to address the many concerns that are likely to be expressed by people in the field both research participants and others. • Be patient and answer any question that a participant asks, so long you know the answer! • If you are not sure of the answer, you should tell the person that you do not have a confident answer to the question; that you will ask the study supervisor the question; and that you will pass that answer on to the participant. • If a question is outside research mandate refer participant to the relevant contact, found in the introduction letter.
Data integrity • Respect for the Science of the Study • Research results affect lives. “Ensure information collected, recorded, and stored by you is correct”. • Report any mistake to your supervisor.
Data integrity • Collecting, Recording, and Storing Study Data • You must understand exactly how the data should be collected, and how they are recorded. Ask if you are not clear with how you were trained before start of project. • Ensure answers to questions are written in a legible and clear way. • Record the information with honesty and accuracy. • No information should be “made up” and recorded on the data collection sheet.
Data integrity • Collecting, Recording, and Storing Study Data cont. • You must understand exactly how the data should be collected, and how they are recorded. Ask if you are not clear with how you were trained before start of project. • All safety precautions should be taken while transporting the data to the ultimate storage place. • Person responsible for storage, should follow all the instructions to protect data confidentiality.
Data integrity • Deviations from Study Procedures • let the research leaders know if you were not able to follow study procedures through no fault of your own, or by making a mistake. “A good data collector will communicate these issues to his or her supervisor and let that person decide what action to take”.
Things to remember while in the field • You are ambassadors of the research team in this study • People may have – or + impression on you but that depends on how you present yourself. • While in the field work, you should • Dress Professionally • Turn off your cell phones during interviews • Be Courteous • Do not drink alcohol • Do not act bored
