Evaluation of the Research Design and Ethical Issues Associated with the Journal Article - Essay Example

FORD BUSINESS REPORT By: + Social changes are often implemented asa result of an availability of data pertaining to certain areas. Researchers in various fields play an important role in availing these facts that lead to effecting the necessary changes. However, there are guidelines used in carrying out research though they are often ignored. Some of these include the design one decides to apply, methodology of the data and identifying the participants. When it comes to methodology, one has to remain ethical since some approaches could endanger the participants despite their willingness of participation. This essay seeks to use the given case to answer the preceding questions in addition to answering other questions related to research. Qualitative research design In this kind of design, a researcher conducts an in-depth analysis before reaching a conclusion that has to be influenced by the data collected. Unlike the quantitative, this one seeks to find the reason and preference of human behaviour. Though often smaller, this tactic is normally seen as a precursor to the quantitative method in the sense that it greatly determines how the latter will be applied. According to Savin-Baden and Major (2013, p.34) qualitative design is fundamental as incorporates the reason, the place and the time of certain preferences with the reason and the method of application. That is to say, instead of focusing on what or when humans exhibit certain behaviours, it identifies the motive and the way of manifestation. Upon conducting a qualitative research, one can then start generating the most probable leads and also formulate some testable and realistic hypothesis. Once a hypothesis is done, it is comprehensively test and analyzed mathematically. This design is constantly characterized by surveys, interviews, case studies and design techniques. The reason for having these is to ensure that the findings are reinforced and ascertained in a bid to eliminate or reduce the error margin. What is this research about? Funnel’s research entails racism and its impact on the victims where it is asserted that this vice normally has astounding effects on many people’s lives. It offers an outlook of the situation in various cultures –that is, it uses ethnography to give the people’s behaviours. With a painstaking tenacity, equipped with the right equipment and accompanied by a qualified and committed team, the author sought to investigate the experiences the victims of racism undergo. Further, the research is also about various forms of reactions by victims upon the inevitable victimization. As is the norm in every research, there have to be some unanswered questions that a researcher seeks to find answers to. Normally, research is initiated when certain answers do not seem to come easily thus triggering the need to carry it out (Cooper, Endacott and Chapman, 2009 p.773). In other words, if answers were easily found, research would seldom take place since nothing much would be needed. Concerning the case referred in this paper, the research questions included: ‘how do racist victims and caseworkers define racist crimes and incidents?’Also, ‘how do they interpret the experiences that befall them?’ clearly, these are the major questions the author sought to find the answers for in the research. As stated earlier, a qualitative research design entails collection of data through various methods including interview and even observation. Hence, in this case, the researcher collected the data using the “interview and observational methods” (Funnel, 2015 p71). Also, it was mentioned that cases studies are usually used in the analysis. Evidently, the author admits to having analysed the cases collected before meaning that the methods mentioned above were used in the data collection of this research. To cement this fact, the author confirmed that there were caseworkers whose activities entailed, visiting “safe house, police stations, hospitals, the gurdwara, mosque, victims’ homes and local neighbourhoods” (Funnel, 2015 p.73) Participants A number of people were involved in the study including couples and individuals all of whom were victims of racist hate. Some of the names revealed by the author include Alma, Louisa, Sara, Nathalie, Christina. Besides the victims, the caseworkers participated in the study by interviewing the victims. They included Quiahui and Corrine, but there are others who were involved but whose names are not mentioned in the study. As expected, this research would involved other inactive individuals especially for the logistics but they are not stated. Ethical implications of social research While the final product of any research may be informative and perhaps cause for an action which may result in effecting positive change, the process has some ethical issues. Some of these include the confidentiality of the participants. Elis (2007 p.29) asserts that the personal information of the participant ought to remain confidential during and after the study. However, this is often not possible since the researcher would in the first place need it when conducting the study. Even though the information may remain confidential after the study, it could be impossible when the study is taking place. Additionally, voluntary participation is vitally important as it could cast doubts on the credibility of the research if it ascertained the information was obtained through coercion. In short, this ethical guide requires that the participating individuals or groups give consent to the researchers to carry on with the study. Normally, this step comes once the informed consent is taken where the researchers have to lucidly explain to the participants all the details of the study (Elis, 2007p.25). Apart from the veracity of a research being questioned, one could take legal action against any researcher who compels participants to give information. Informed consent Before a participant is involved in any study, it is required that the researchers give full details of what the study entails. This information includes the risks involved, and this is not limited to the possible physical but also psychological harm. Normally, this helps the participants to beware of all the actions and repercussions that the study may bring. Normally, researchers prefer having the participants commit themselves to avoid legal victimization in the future (Coughlin and Dawson, 2014 p.207).This is necessitated by the tendency by some participants to recant their position concerning the information gather from them, sometimes driven by the need to sue for damages. The ethical implications of this research Judging from the information provided in this study, several conclusions could be made in regard to the ethical implications. First, the participants seemed to have been aware of the study meaning the ethical principle of informed consent was observed. The same could be said of the voluntary participation where none of the participants seemed to give the information under duress. Confidentiality may, however, be an issue in this research given the disclosing of the area the study took place. While efforts have been made to conceal the identity of the participants, the fact that their ethnicity and residences are indirectly being mentioned implies a margin error. Also, since the author has revealed the phrase used in the grouping of these people in their region means their oppressors may easily identify them. In addition, the issue of privacy could also somehow arise given the fact that one method of data gathering involved observation. Even though the author may have informed the victims of the intention to interview them, there is no mention of whether they were aware of the ongoing observation. Normally, it is not always realistic to reveal to the concerned group that they are being observed as this would compromise the credibility of the research. As noted by Hubert and Hollins (2007 p.122) this is usually done to ensure that the persons or group of people being observed do not adjust their normal behaviours. Again, the issue of confidentiality was inevitable in this study because the caseworkers handled more than one case. Since there is no mention of the number of caseworkers that were involved here, it means they handled more than one. Moreover, since the details of the experiences underwent by the victims are explicitly stated, it would mean confidentiality is not entirely possible. Though the author has not revealed the names of the participants, the details about their experiences and residences make a lot easier to propagate. However, it was earlier noted that in a study, confidentiality and privacy cannot always be guaranteed. Normally, this is made impossible because the researchers need to have accurate information lest a research become a farce. Tackling the issues While a lot could be said of the study, the author tackled the ethical issues in a professional manner. First, there is no mention of the participants’ real names as this would have compromised their privacy in an adverse manner. Clearly, the author stated that the name used in the study were absolutely pseudonym (Funnel, 2015 p72). Secondly, it is evident the participants were willingly giving the information at their volition as opposed to coercion. Also, it is clear the caseworkers would work on different individuals thus eliminating the issue information sharing. Additionally, the author did well in remaining observant of Mandeep’s request regarding the victims (Funnel, 2015 p.73). Consequently, the author was able to collect the data in a way that it proved reliable in the end. Further, by sticking on the victims alone and not involving other parties who were not relevant to the study, the researcher maintained, to some extent, the identity and confidentiality of the participants. Perhaps, the area one could raise eyebrows on is the method used by the researcher in the observation of the participants. To sum it up, whenever research is conducted there are guidelines which are imperative in ensuring the process goes on smoothly, and the outcomes are credible. Failure to adhere to the ethical guidelines is likely to render the findings unreliable. Compelling participants to give information or withholding the details of the process will most likely be detrimental to the research outcomes. In order to avoid such things, one ought to inform the participants of the expected duties before seeking to have their participation. In the case used in this paper, the author strived to apply ethics in the study albeit some areas that were unavoidable. The use of the pseudonym was a portrayal of intelligence as were the decision to avoid using many people. Whenever, a research becomes necessary, qualitative methods is the best as it helps in giving substantiated data. Bibliography Coughlin, S. and Dawson, A. (2014). Ethical, Legal and Social Issues in Exposomics: A Call for Research Investment. Public Health Ethics, 7(3), pp.207. Cooper, S., Endacott, R., & Chapman, Y. (2009). Qualitative research: specific designs for qualitative research in emergency care?. Emergency Medicine Journal, 26(11), pp,773 Ellis, C. (2007). Telling Secrets, Revealing Lives: Relational Ethics in Research With Intimate Others. Qualitative Inquiry, 13(1), pp.29. Funnell, C. (2014). Racist hate crime and the mortified self: An ethnographic study of the impact of victimization. International Review of Victimology, 21(1), pp.71-83. Hubert, J. and Hollins, S. (2007). Ethnographic Research in Closed Institutions: Ethical Issues. Research Ethics, 3(4), pp.122-126. Savin-Baden, M. & Major, C. (2013). Qualitative Research: The Essential Guide to Theory and Practice. London: Routledge. Read More