What Can Researchers Do to Ensure That a Research Project Is Conducted Ethically - Coursework Example

Duty of Researchers to Ensure Research project is Conducted Ethically Name Institution Duty of Researchers to Ensure Research project is Conducted Ethically Research writing is a significant aspect in business development as they help the management in corporate decision making as well as assisting learners and scholars in the area of study with in depth understanding of the facts under study. A research report can be defined as “an organized presentation to a specific audience for the purpose of helping an organization achieves an objective” (Bowman & Branchaw, 1988, p.12). Any research work is prepared for the purposes of application in real life situations. It is on these basis that a research project needs to be well researched and thought to ensure that it is justified in terms of time, effort and resources committed to its preparation. Researchers have numerous ethical responsibilities that they must not neglect in the course of their work. The paper herein evaluates the component elements of ethical considerations that researchers should adhere to. The first step towards writing a good research project is having a thorough understanding of the topic of study in which the report is to be based. The researcher needs to have a comprehensive and deep understanding of facts that are relevant to the topic of study. This enables the writer to articulate the presentation of findings with precision and links the work with the real life business context. The research work should also familiarize the reader to the available pieces of knowledge on the area of study through a detailed and well sorted literature review (Bell 1999). To achieve this, a researcher gives a detailed background to the study. This involves presenting the genesis of the problem area being analyzed and its potential or real impact on real life situations. It is the duty of the researcher to come up with the right methodology for his/her study. All components that are necessary in writing a research project should be adhered to. It is only then that the outcome can be credible and sponsors of the research can get real return for their money. For instance, writing of the report will involve formulation of a strong thesis statement. The importance of properly rehearsed statement is that it covers the broader idea that the report intends to present. A minced statement is inappropriate since it limits the researcher’s scope of analysis. An extensively broad one is inefficient as if may lead to vagueness in the objective of the study (Aaker, 2003). A researcher who wants to present quality work will therefore take time to think about the thesis statement that would best suit the purpose of the study. A well researched project will also entail detailed examination of the data collected. This is an ethical requirement since if this is not done the results will not be a fair representation of facts and anyone interested in applying the results in future will be misled (Silverman 2005). This starts with identification of relevant data that will suit the requirements of the particular research assignment. The objectives of the work should help the author to zero in on what matters most while collecting data. Voluminous amount of data may hamper the process of analysis and may lead to vague conclusions. A researcher will therefore be best suited to be specific with the intention of the research, the specific context for which it will be applied and based on these principles gather field data that directly relates to those specific needs. The process of data gathering should be objective. The method selected to collect data should be based on the nature of the population under study and the requirements of the survey. Where sampling has to be applied, the type chosen for the same should be impartial and the size should be large enough to represent the traits of the larger population. In the end, the information gathered should be capable of forming new knowledge or present new interpretation of existing knowledge (Sekaran 1992). The style used to present the research report should be standard and professionally recognized. This allows for consistency with the referencing guidelines. Adherence to style of writing aids in the presentation of the report and conveyance of information to the target audience. A good research report pays detailed attention to the mode and manner of presentation. A well thought and researched report will have meaning if and only if, it is presented to the user in a manner that can be interpreted and comprehended. Well written research report uses proper language for presentation. Language selection is vital both at the point of data gathering and report writing. The researcher must use a language for which participants are comfortable with. Their cultural norms and principles must be respected too. Presentation should follow the same guidelines. Choice of language should depend on the audience or potential users of the results of the study. Commonly, projects should be presented using formal language. The language should be kept simple, clear and understandable. A research report will also employ the key terms as applied in the topic of study and proper explanation of all the acronyms cited within the body of the research project. Each piece of idea should be clearly distinguishable by proper arrangement of the write up (Silverman 2005). A good research work employs recognized sources such as text books, referred journals and other academic articles. The source of data should be reliable to provide truthful and accurate version of facts. The sources should be numerous and diversified to provide appropriate back up to the opinions and information presented (Burges 1994). Referencing should be thorough and current to give the report a scholarly foundation. Researchers must recognize their social responsibilities in the conduct of their work. Their responsibilities go beyond the academic environment since they are part and parcel of a broader community that demands moral principles to be upheld. In the conduct of their work, therefore, they should remain sensitive to the needs and aspirations of members of the society. Their work should contribute to the creation of free, prosperous and just society. To ensure that they do not circumvent the ethical standards of the community they should tore the line of justice. They should accord fair treatment to the institutions and individuals involved in their research work. They should honour their contractual duties with individuals or institutions that sponsor the research. They should also ensure that they undertake their research equitably, and each section of the community is given due attention and that its unique grievances are represented in the final result of the research work. Researchers should address particular questions depending on research situation under interrogation. Such include cultural sensitivity, confirmation of findings, fairness, and cultural sensitivity among others (Stutchbury & Fox 2009, pp. 495-496). Researchers should demonstrate adherence to the principle of anonymity of every individual. In the field of journalism, research may bring up personal information that would make the individual suffer embarrassment. Unless, the information benefits the wider community, it should not be made public. This goes hand in hand with respect for autonomy. Opinions of a person, particularly where he/she requests, should be kept anonymous. It is further required that participants should give their consent to participate willingly without coercion, duress or intimidation. The person giving this consent must have legal capacity to do so in terms of age and accountability. This means that researcher cannot, for example, take advantage of less privileged or mentally challenged to participate in interviews. Media research should pay special attention to nuanced representation of other peoples. Aspects of misrepresentation should be avoided at all costs as they can demean cultures and consequently spark wars. This work should also not support unjust social structures – as noted the work of research should contribute positively to the development of communities by promoting equity, social justice and fairness. To avoid mis-representation, greater diversity of sources of information should be sought and should be told them from the point of view of non-dominant group or groups. Journalism should always be tilted towards social change (Alia 2004; 23, 26). Researchers would be safe if they adhere to factual accuracy in collection and presentation of research data. The principle of nonmaleficence acts as a caution to professionals to be vigilant enough and remain sensitive to individuals and situations that require unique responses so as to stay away from causing harm (Gilbert 2001). This principle protects participants in research from exposure to adverse impact that may be brought about in quest to do well. This principle does not give answers or designate the format that research should follow but only requires professionals to be alert to situations and individuals. Failure to adhere to this principle would result to an act of omission or commission on the side of researcher. The principle of beneficence, on the other hand, concern doing what is right for the majority. Participants to the research do not share any direct benefits from the research work. These benefits are usually the preserve of the researcher. On these grounds, the researcher should ensure that the work benefits the community at large (Gilbert 2001). In general terms, something is morally correct if it brings maximum benefit to the largest number of people and wrong if it bears harm to majority. Going by this maxim, any research work should be measured upon these standards. When research is being conducted, the researcher may be interested in fulfilling the requirements of academic program; however, his/her findings should be applied in making the community better. It is upon this understanding that this principle is founded – research work should result into maximum social benefit. Researchers have a duty to ensure confidentiality of information. Information gathered in the process of research must not be made readily available to anyone who is not directly involved in the study or groups of people or institutions that do not merit (Denzin & Lincoln 2000). In cases that touch on state security, much information may be withheld for the good of public or pending investigations. In cases where research study shows that urgent steps need to be taken as remedy to specific situations, the researcher has a moral duty to pursue that course. In this regard, the researcher should forward the project to relevant authorities for attention at his/her own motion. This would be a good sign of giving back to the society and community as an appreciation for participation in the research work. It is common to many journalists to air programmes that touch pertinent issues of society as a result of their studies – communities confronted with gender inequalities or female genital mutilation are good examples. On case by case basis, the situations have been addressed either by government agencies, non-governmental organizations or other interested groups or individuals. This demonstrates positive contribution of research to the society. It should not be lost that media is the single most powerful voice of the marginalized, lowly nourished and oppressed. In the work of Massey and Haas, research in public journalism has not lived up to the expectations since it has had limited effects on beliefs, attitudes and behaviors of news audiences. The critique goes on to point to the fact that this research lack broad and systematic assessment. Existing research, they argue, has only focused on handful of public journalism news organizations and projects (Nichols et al. 2006; 77). Researchers must demonstrate professional integrity in the process of their work. One of the requirements of this principle is representation of truthful information. They should also ensure that the sources of their information is credible and can be trusted. Anything to the contrary presents the professional and the profession in bad light. Truthful representation must be observed particularly in cases of witness narratives. Researchers that the story they present is real, and involves a real survivor as opposed to an imposter. In many cases now, readers and journalists alike have become detectives of authenticity. They have come up in different forums to point out that such and such research work or book is a case of false witnessing. In some cases these allegations have been supported by credible evidence. For example, “Fragments: Memories of Wartime Childhood’ by Binjamin Wilkomirski has been rated as a narrative of false witness. Benjamin narrates of the surviving Holocaust as a firsthand account of the narration. This work has, since these revelations, been withdrawn from bookstores. Later, however, this work was accepted as a novel and published as such (Sidonie & Julia, 2012; 590). Ornebring Henrik (2008) has given an expansive account of responsibilities of researchers in the execution of their work in his article “Global Journalism Research: Theories, methods, findings, future.” The global state of research in the field of journalism is extensively covered. It includes a synthesis of theoretical perspectives, and various national research traditions. As seen through the screen of selected countries namely, China, United Kingdom, South Africa, Germany and Mexico, the book presents a sense of the global state of the art media research. It calls on researchers to build from past studies, while maintaining and promoting ethical standards. The diversity in application of standards and regulations in media research have been pointed out as possible hindrances to possible amalgamation of laws guiding media research. However, journalists should fulfill their professional obligation of maintaining high ethical standards in all their project publications. It is generally accepted that literature helps to bind people together, despite historical frictions between them (Deacon et al. 2007). But despite of this argument and obvious pro-immigrant sympathies, such texts might reinstate a problematic politics of place that diffuses a sense of urgency and crisis needing address. In the book, “In Can Literature Promote Justice?” Kimberly Nance has considered potential causes of crisis as a result of this form of interaction. He has pointed out ways in which literary representations of crisis might spur ethical responses from different quarters. He considers the Latin American genre of ‘testimonio’, and notes that empathy, is a crucial starting point in reorienting readers from an alienating distance to involvement (Nance 2006). Researchers are always bound by all applicable national laws, international agreements and regulations. Overseas research should follow treaties between the researcher’s country of origin and the country where research is conducted. Disclosure of information should consider both national laws and international conventions on media research and reporting. Intellectual property right laws should be followed to the later. Proper authorization should be sought before using copyrighted work of another person or institution. Proper clearance by relevant government and departmental authorities should also be sought. Necessary fees and licensing where applicable should also be met. In the light of discussion ensuing, it is safe to state that researchers have enormous responsibility to promote ethical standards in the field. They ought to consider a wider picture of benefits that would accrue from the study, as opposed to their own personal gains. As noble members of wider society they owe great duty of care to its members. Bibliography Aaker, DA 2003, Marketing research. Hoboken: Wiley. Alia, Valerie 2004, Media ethics and social change. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Bell J 1999, Doing Your Research Project. Buckingham: Open University Press. Bowman J.P. & Branchaw B.P. (1988). Business Report Writing, 2nd ed. Chicago: The Dryden Press. Burgess, RG 1994, Issues in qualitative research. London, Greenwich. Deacon, D et al. 2007, Researching Communications: A Practical Guide to Methods in Media and Cultural Analysis, Oxford University Press. Denzin, NK & Lincoln, Y. S. (eds.) 2000, Handbook of Qualitative Research, Thousand Oaks: Sage. Gilbert, N 2001 Researching Social Life. London, Sage. Nichols et el., 2006, ‘Examining the Effects of Public Journalism on Civil Society from 1994 to 2002: Organizational Factors, Project Features, Story Frames, and Citizen Engagement’ Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly Vol. 83, no. 1, pp.77-100. Nance, Kimberly A. 2006, Can Literature Promote Justice? Trauma Narrative and Social Action in Latin American Testimonio, Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press. Ornebring Henrik, 2008, ‘Global Journalism Research: Theories, Methods, Findings, Future’, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, Vol. 85, no. 4, pp 934-935. Sekaran, U 1992, Research Methods for Business: A skill Building Approach. New York, John Wiley. Sidonie Smith & Julia, 2012, ‘Watson Witness or False Witness?: Metrics of Authenticity, Collective i-formations, and the Ethic of Verification in First-person Testimony’, Biographical Research Center, 35.4, pp 590-591. Silverman, D 2005, Doing Qualitative Research, London: Sage. Stutchbury, K, & Fox, A 2009, ‘Ethics in educational research: introducing a methodological tool for effective ethical analysis’, Cambridge Journal of Education, Vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 489–504. Read More