Understanding the potential ethical issues associated with research is important before beginning any project. Additionally, it is important to check the research project periodically to ensure compliance and to adjust when opportunities arise. Some ethical issues that may arise including conducting research involving vulnerable populations, such as prisoners, children, the unsheltered, elderly, or even patients or the accused that you may deal with routinely. For example, if your research involves school truancy, you are not permitted to interview, survey, or observe children for your Capstone. Instead, you may survey parents, but children and other vulnerable poplations cannot be involved at any level.
If ethical considerations are not addressed in the beginning and before any research is conducted, including interviews, surveys, or field observations, the researcher (student), faculty, and college are subject to discipline, including legal action. However, students are permitted to review literature that may be used in the research; you just cannot conduct interviews, surveys, or observations. Typically, programs follow guidance in 45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 46 and related subparts, along with ethical codes, some of which may be found on pp.95-96 of your text. Be sure to review these when you have a moment.
Outside of populations, other ethical considerations including accidental or intentional plagiarism (including copying and pasting even if you cite), use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), failure to cite sources, using work that does to belong to you, failure to ensure confidentiality, and obtaining permission from a site, participates, or a supervisor when involving peers. In reviewing the text, there are various considerations discussed on pp.93-101 that will help you avoid problems later. Once you identify potential ethical issues and roadblocks, then ensure they are addressed, you should not have any issues moving forward in your research. If opportunities are identified, your instructor will help you correct these during the Capstone.
Instructions
After reading the text and associated material, discuss why it is important to understand the potential ethical issues that may arise in a research project, including confidentiality.
Be sure to explain these in detail using the text and providing a minimum of five (5) examples.
Discuss roadblocks that may occur later if ethical issues are not considered in the beginning
Explain federal regulations associated with research.
Define members of vulnerable populations and then include details on why special permission is required before conducting research with this group.
Explain who must give permission.
Resources to use:
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2022). Research design (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Pages 93-101
https://www.medstarhealth.org/blog/vulnerable-populations-in-research-a-cfr-refresher-for-investigators#:~:text=When%20conducting%20research%2C%20some%20populations,pregnant%20women%2C%20prisoners%20and%20children.
