Le-Anne Goliath
16688627
Educational Research
Online Test Activity based on Burgess article
The four ethical dilemmas in educational research:
1. Research Sponsorship
As many higher education institutions have been liberalized by receiving less state-funding,
academics have been tasked with a fundraiser role. This role involves generating funding from
outside investors and may be a way in which to gain acknowledgment from the institution. As
a result of such factors, many researchers are cornered into doing research that favours their
sponsor or interpreting data in a similar manner.
2. Research Relations
The relationship between a researcher and his or her participants may affect the way in which
data is interpreted and collected. If the researcher is too familiar with the participants, this could
lead to participant bias such as social desirability. Social desirability is the tendency for
participants to want to respond to the experimental manipulation in a manner that they believe
is socially desirable or casts them in a positive light. Further, the researcher should not be the
one who conducts the research as this could lead to researcher bias. Researcher bias could occur
as the researcher is aware of the hypothesis and may inadvertently communicate cues that cause
participants to behave in a way that confirms the hypothesis.
3. Informed Consent
Although researchers must obtain informed consent from each participant, sometimes
researchers are not able to offer participants a full account of what the study involves as
deception regarding a hypothesis, for instance, may be necessary. Furthermore, participants
need to be informed about what they will be expected to do during the experiment and should
preferably agree to participate in writing. Participants should also be informed that their
participation is voluntary and that they may leave the study at any stage.
4. Data Dissemination
In qualitative research, all participants should remain anonymous. The data collected from
participants should remain confidential and any data that is not used should be destroyed. Data
should also be described using pseudonyms and identities of participants should not be alluded
16688627
Educational Research
Online Test Activity based on Burgess article
The four ethical dilemmas in educational research:
1. Research Sponsorship
As many higher education institutions have been liberalized by receiving less state-funding,
academics have been tasked with a fundraiser role. This role involves generating funding from
outside investors and may be a way in which to gain acknowledgment from the institution. As
a result of such factors, many researchers are cornered into doing research that favours their
sponsor or interpreting data in a similar manner.
2. Research Relations
The relationship between a researcher and his or her participants may affect the way in which
data is interpreted and collected. If the researcher is too familiar with the participants, this could
lead to participant bias such as social desirability. Social desirability is the tendency for
participants to want to respond to the experimental manipulation in a manner that they believe
is socially desirable or casts them in a positive light. Further, the researcher should not be the
one who conducts the research as this could lead to researcher bias. Researcher bias could occur
as the researcher is aware of the hypothesis and may inadvertently communicate cues that cause
participants to behave in a way that confirms the hypothesis.
3. Informed Consent
Although researchers must obtain informed consent from each participant, sometimes
researchers are not able to offer participants a full account of what the study involves as
deception regarding a hypothesis, for instance, may be necessary. Furthermore, participants
need to be informed about what they will be expected to do during the experiment and should
preferably agree to participate in writing. Participants should also be informed that their
participation is voluntary and that they may leave the study at any stage.
4. Data Dissemination
In qualitative research, all participants should remain anonymous. The data collected from
participants should remain confidential and any data that is not used should be destroyed. Data
should also be described using pseudonyms and identities of participants should not be alluded
