Title: Introduction to research ethics
Course: EDPS0009: Researching Education and Society: Qualitative Methods 2020/2021 > Section: 2. Ethics

As we have already discussed, Ethics is the study of right and wrong, and as such looks at how we should act. Research ethics therefore is the field of ethics that specifically relates to how we should carry out research and what we should or should not do.

In order to start thinking about what ethical research may look like, let's consider a historical example.

Research ethics cover many different areas and stages within the research process, and provide a clear framework for the researcher to ensure that participants do not come to harm. This basic principle of "do no harm" underpins all considerations of confidentiality, anonymity, safeguarding, dealing with data and so on.

We will discuss this and other principles in more detail, but the Bell and Waters chapter provides a good introduction to some of those basic foundations.

Check the reading and then consider the following true/false questions.

Source of Edward Jenner case study: Wellcome Trust EPQs ethics guide.