Understanding Survey Method and Ethical Issues in Research
This session delves into the survey method in social sciences, particularly in large-scale societies. It also addresses ethical issues that researchers encounter and how they handle them. Topics covered include survey research, ethical considerations, and researcher responses to ethical dilemmas. Recommended readings on sociology and anthropology are provided for further understanding.
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Lecturer: Dr. Dan-Bright S .Dzorgbo, UG Contact Information: ddzorgbo@ug.edu.gh College of Education School of Continuing and Distance Education 2014/2015 2016/2017
Session Overview Introduction This session is a continuation of the preceding one. We noted in the previous session that in studying other peoples with different cultures, social scientists usually adopt the fieldwork method. This is because they deal with small, simple or traditional societies. However, in recent times, anthropologists are studying large-scale societies and conducting research in urban environments and so are increasingly using the survey method as well. In this session we discuss the survey method. Also one basic injunction in research is that: we must not in any way harm the people we study. This brings to the fore ethical issues that researchers must address. In this session, we want to examine these issues in greater detail. Objectives At the end of the session, the student will be able to: Explain the survey method Explain what ethical issues in research mean Explain how researchers address ethical issues Slide 2 Dr. Dan-Bright S. Dzorgbo, Sociology Dept. UG
Session Outline The key topics to be covered in the session are as follows: Topic One: The Survey Research Topic Two: Ethical issues in research Topic Three: How researchers address ethical issues Slide 3 Dr. Dan-Bright S. Dzorgbo, Sociology Dept. UG
Reading List Assimeng, M. (1999), Social Structure of Ghana, Tema, Ghana Publishing Corporation. Kottak, C. P. (2004), Cultural Anthropology, Boston, McGraw Hill Corporation. Kottak, C. P. (2004), Anthropology: The Exploration of Human Diversity, Boston, McGraw Hill Corporation. Nolan, P. & G. Lenski, (2004 or any of the newer editions), Human Societies: An introduction to macrosociology, Boulder Paradigm Publishers. Nukunya, G. K. (2006), Tradition and change in Ghana: An introduction to sociology, Accra, Ghana University Press. Sanderson, S. K. & A. S. Alderson (2005 or its newer editions), World societies: the evolution of human life, Boston, Pearson Education Inc. Slide 4 Dr. Dan-Bright S. Dzorgbo, Sociology Dept. UG
Topic One: The Survey Research y The gathering of the same information from a large number of individuals who are chosen to be representative of a larger population of which they are part. Survey data, unlike data from fieldwork, are usually collected systematically by means of written questionnaires that can either be sent to individuals to fill out themselves, or fill out by interviewers who visit them personally or by other means such as telephone interviewing or the use of internet or social media platforms Slide 5 Dr. Dan-Bright S. Dzorgbo, Sociology Dept. UG
Topic Two: Ethical Issues in Research When social scientists (and indeed natural scientists as well) undertake studies on people, communities and societies, one problem that comes to the fore is that their research usually have the potential to harm people or subjects. Should scientists be allowed to harm people, species and materials they study the long-term consequence is that nobody would volunteer for research and we would not be able conduct research in the future and generate further knowledge It is also just simply wrong to morally harm people because of social research. Given this, a central injunction in the conduct of research is that scientists must have the ethical obligation not to harm physically and psychology the people they study or those who volunteer to help them to generate and advance knowledge Thus there ethical codes for many disciplines: psychology, sociology, anthropology etc. Scientists are supposed to be guided by them Slide 6 Dr. Dan-Bright S. Dzorgbo, Sociology Dept. UG
Topic Three: How Researchers address Ethical Issues The codes require among other things that scientists: Avoid harm or wrong to their respondents Respect the safety, dignity and privacy of their respondents Explain to the respondents the purposes of their research in the language they understand and seek their informed consent to participate in their research Given this, many research funding agencies insist on seeing in detail manner, what precautions scientists take to avoid all potential harm their research could cause their respondents before funds are released to them The issue of ethical dilemma Slide 7 Dr. Dan-Bright S. Dzorgbo, Sociology Dept. UG
Conclusion In this session we have: Examined Survey Research method Discussed ethical issues in research Indicated what researchers are supposed to do not to harm their respondents Slide 8 Dr. Dan-Bright S. Dzorgbo, Sociology Dept. UG
