Transcript Evidence-based practice – Why is research so difficult?

Action Research –
Ethical Issues
CARN Study Day
Liverpool Hope University
May 2005
What is research?
• A way of finding things out
• Finding out how to do things better
• Finding out why we do things the way we
do
• Gaining an understanding of how things
work or happen
• Challenging our assumptions
Action Research
• Impacting our practice
• Reviewing our practice
• Justifying our practice
• Amending our practice
• Improving our practice
• Sharing best practice
Research Ethics
• Carrying out research in a morally
responsible way
• Not disadvantaging anyone by the research
• Respecting others’ opinions and rights
• Working within an ethical code
• Seeking permission/access
Ethics
principle
honest
moral
honourable
fair
legal
proper
decent
right
Hippocratic Oath
- the foundation for medical ethics;
“first do no harm”
Data Protection Act 1998
This gives priority to personal privacy
and protection of personal information.
Anyone who wants to collect personal
data must say how the information will
be used, who will have access to it, and
that it will not be stored or shared any
longer than necessary.
(This also relies upon the integrity of
the researcher)
The Integrity of the Researcher
•Personal / professional ethics
•Personal / professional responsibility
•Professional code of conduct will require
adherence to ethical guidelines and
principles.
•Ethics committee
•Personal responsibility to be honest
throughout.
•The Power Imbalance
Unethical to;
•suppress data or skew findings.
•video or photograph without consent.
•breach confidentiality.
There are some grey areas though……...
Ethnography - capturing behaviour when
people do not feel they are being observed.
Participation or exploitation?
Covert or overt observation?
Non-participant or participant observer?
A participant could be wielding influence…
A non-participant could be projecting /
offering own viewpoint...
Both would argue they were being
academically rigorous and ethically
sensitive.
Personal integrity is crucial and acknowledge possible bias or
influence in findings.
Ethical Guidelines
Respect participants.
Seek permission / informed consent
Explanation from researcher as to nature
and purpose of research.
Recorded personal data will be destroyed
as soon as appropriate.
Ethical Guidelines
Responsibility to participant where
project involves sensitive personal
disclosure.
Maintaining confidentiality.
Always be aware that individuals have a
right to access information organisations
may be keeping on them.
‘Those who contribute to research findings
as informants or as research subjects, should
be no worse off at the end of their participation
than they were when they started.’
Denscombe, M. (2003)
The Good Research Guide O.U. Press
‘What are the narrative constructs
of bereaved parents?’
Methodology
• Qualitative research- looking in-depth at
what happens and gathering opinions and
interpretations (narrative)
• Quantitative research – measuring,
categorising, drawing conclusions, making
causal links
(numerical)
Spirituality
8%
Severance
14%
Connectedness
78%
Some considerations:
1. Relationship of researcher to participants
2. Prior relationship
3. Assumptions
4. Influence
Further considerations:
1. ‘Control group’ interviewed by a stranger
2. Original participants interviewed by a
stranger
3. External supervision
4. Triangulation
5. Integrity of the researcher
‘I only want what is in your mind
and in your heart’
David Tasma
1947
‘I’ll be a window in your home’
Research offers the world a
window onto our practice
Action research flings the windows open