Practices in Relation to Duties in Research

1.1 Place the life, well being, health, privacy, dignity and other rights of their research participants before all other interests.

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Honor the trust that research participants place in them. Researchers provide a prompt opportunity for participants to obtain appropriate information about the nature, results, and conclusions of the research, and they take reasonable steps to correct any misconceptions that participants may have of which they are aware.

1.3 Recognize that they are in a position of power over research participants and should avoid abusing their position.

1.3.1 Researchers shall not abuse persons over whom they have supervisory, evaluative, or other authority such as clients/stakeholders, students, supervisees, research participants, and employees.

1.3.2 When researchers conduct research with clients/patients, students, or subordinates as participants, they shall take steps to protect the prospective participants from adverse and prejudicial consequences of declining or withdrawing from participation.

1.3.3 When research participation is a course requirement or an opportunity for extra credit, the prospective participant is given the choice of equitable alternative activities.

1.3.4 It shall be made clear to potential research participants when the study is a student project.

1.4 Abstain from engaging in research projects involving human research participants unless they are in no doubt that the risks involved have been adequately assessed and can be satisfactorily managed throughout the duration of the project.

1.4.1 To avoid inconvenience to potential subjects, a researcher is encouraged to make more use of available data instead of embarking on a new inquiry. By linking existing records, valuable social research information may be produced that would otherwise have to be collected afresh.

1.4.2 Should there be an issue of confidentiality in linking records, the researcher shall ensure that Individual subjects are not be affected by such uses, unless their identities are protected and that the purpose is statistical, not administrative.

1.4.3 The researcher must allow subjects who have provided data for one purpose to object to its subsequent use for another purpose without their knowledge. This is particularly sensitive in the case of identified data. Decisions in such cases have to be based on a variety of competing interests and in the knowledge that there is no correct solution.

1.4.4 There shall be no unanticipated consequences for the original data subject. As Cassell (1982b) argues,

1.4.4.1 People can feel wronged without being harmed by research:

1.4.4.2 People may feel they have been treated as objects of measurement without respect for their individual values and sense of privacy.

1.4.4.3 People may experience intrusion into their private and personal domains, or by overburdening subjects by collecting too much information, rather than with whether or not subjects have been harmed.

1.4.4.4 A researcher s attitudes, demeanor or even their latent theoretical or methodological perspective can be interpreted as doing an injustice to subjects.

1.4.5 Researchers shall avoid instances where they create some form of social disruption, offend subjects through disrespectful attitudes,culturally-inappropriate approaches, unfair methods of selection or causing them to acquire self knowledge that they did not seek or want,

1.4.6 Researchers must avoid rendering themselves vulnerable to criticism.

1.4.7 Researchers must make sure that participants are not led to resist future enquiries as a consequence of inconsiderate actions and treatments.

1.5 Stop the involvement of research participants if continuation of the research may be prejudicial to them or where it becomes obvious that the risks are outweighing the benefits.

1.6 Be accessible to research participants in the course of their investigations.

1.7 Ensure that their personal beliefs and biases do not influence their choice of research participants. It will be unethical if such beliefs will affect choices regarding the lifestyle, culture, beliefs, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, social status, or perceived economic worth of research participants.

1.8 Respond to criticism and complaints promptly and constructively.

1.9 Report violations and seek redress, if possible, in circumstances where they believe that violations of the rights of research participants are taking place. When researchers become aware that research procedures have harmed a participant, they shall take reasonable steps to minimize the harm.

1.10 Ensure that research participants are compensated for all reasonable expenses or loss of income incurred as a result of their participation in research and such compensation should be specified in the relevant research protocol or proposal.

1.11 Ensure that all research participants are compensated for trial-related injuries and that there is adequate insurance cover for research participants.

1.12 Ensure that no undue inducements are offered to participants to encourage them to participate in the research by exploiting their unfavorable socio economic status.

1.12.1 Researchers make reasonable efforts to avoid offering excessive or inappropriate financial or other inducements for research participation when such inducements are likely to coerce participation.

1.12.2 When offering professional services as an inducement for research participation, researchers clarify the nature of the services, as well as the risks, obligations, and limitations.

1.13 Ensure at the end of a drug trial that ongoing treatment where needed/necessary is available to research participants.

1.14 Ensure inclusion in research projects of relevant individuals or groups who might otherwise be excluded for reasons of communication, disability, comprehension or expense, especially in the context of social research.

1.14.1 The potential need for language interpretation, signers, or communication aids;

1.14.2 Potential respondents requirements for flexibility in appointment times and length of interviews, and, in some limited situations, preference for an interviewer of particular gender and/or ethnic background.

1.14.3 Correspondence about research, including invitations and information sheets which should be sent in large print using simple language and, where relevant, in minority ethnic group languages, in Braille or on audio cassettes.

1.14.4 Costs for expenses incurred in travelling to venues, or child/adult care required for their participation that must be met

1.14.6 the most appropriate medium of communication to enable participation among people with learning difficulties or sensory/communication impairments, and children