Discussion board forum - Assignment Example

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN CONDUCTING EVALUATION RESEARCH (DISCUSSION BOARD FORUM) Typically, ethics are knownto refer to a system of principles which can analytically alter previous considerations about choices and actions; moreover, they are based in the branch of philosophy that deals with the dynamics of making decisions especially when it comes to identifying what is wrong and right (Georgia 2011). Generally, scientific research work is overseen by individual, community and social values just as almost all of the human activities; where its ethics lie on requirements on daily work, the protection of dignity of subjects and publishing the information in the research.

Concurrently, it is domineering that ethical issues are considered during the formulation of the evaluation plan; likewise, the most common and essential considerations during the process include: informed consent, voluntary participation, do no harm (Beneficence), respect for confidentiality and anonymity, respect for privacy and assessment of only the relevant components. Informed consent Informed consent is considered to be the most major ethical issue in conducting research and most of the experienced researchers give it the definition of a person expressively, willingly and logically, and in a clear and manifest way gives his consent (Deborah 2003).

Basically, it is one of the most outright ways that a person’s autonomy is protected as it circles around that particular person being fully informed about the evaluation being conducted. The informed consent ethic seeks to integrate the rights of self-governing participants through autonomy and also prevent assaults on the integrity of the patient and protect personal freedom and genuineness (Johnstone 2009). Any additional information should also be provided in any event that the participant becomes distressed in any way since the main purpose of informed consent is that the participant is able to make informed decision as to whether they will participate in the evaluation or not.

Voluntary Participation Normally, voluntary participation goes hand in hand with the informed consent ethic and means that the people participate in the evaluation free from intimidation and they are free to withdraw their participation at any time without negatively impacting on their involvement in future services or the current program and relationships with any of the researchers or research bodies involved (Deborah 2003). Sometimes there can be a lot of challenges especially in situations where one has the task of encouraging high risk youth to become engaged in a program hence making the situation difficult mostly when the participants choose not to continue in a program.

However, all the participants have the right to leave a program at any time hence no pressure is expected from the facilitators, on those who choose not to continue; additionally, explanations need not to be asked for from the participants.Respect for Confidentiality and Anonymity Confidentiality means that any identifying information is not made available to, or accessed by anyone but the program coordinator; and anonymity is a stricter form of privacy than confidentiality as the identity of the participant remains unknown even to the research team.

Usually, confidentiality ensures any identifying information is excluded from any reports or published documents making it easier to achieve than anonymity since there are often small numbers in peer based programs but it is still essential to enforce it even in such situations (Georgia 2011). The reason as to why anonymity is more difficult to achieve is because the participants in the context of social research are usually known to the program coordinator and sometimes to a few people in the group.

REFERENCESDeborah, S (2003) Five Principles for Research Ethics: American Psychological Association. 34(1), 56. http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan03/principles.aspx Georgia, F (2011). The Major Ethical Issues in Conducting Research: Health Science Journal. 5(1). http://www.hsj.gr/volume5/issue1/512.pdf Johnstone, M (2009) Bioethics: A Nursing Perspective (5th Ed). Athens, Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.