MOUNT KENYA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATICS

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT

UNIT TITTLE : RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

STUDENT NAME : MBASHA MHINA

REG NO : BIT/2017/64869

TASK:

1. In research there are ethical consideration that a researcher should always

consider when doing a research study. Discuss these considerations sighting
most appropriate examples.
2. Describe research instruments explaining the most appropriate application of
each instrument sighting it advantage and disadvantage.

1. ETHICAL CONSIDERATION THAT A RESEARCHER SHOULD ALWAYS

CONSIDER WHEN DOING A RESEARCH STUDY
  Informed consent

Informed consent is the major ethical issue in conducting research. Informed consent is one of
the means by which a patient's right to autonomy is protected. Beauchamp and Childress define
autonomy as the ability for self-determination in action according to a personal plan. Informed
consent seeks to incorporate the rights of autonomous individuals through self- determination. It
also seeks to prevent assaults on the integrity of the patient and protect personal liberty and
veracity. Another major ethical issue is obtaining an informed consent from groups with
diminished autonomy which will be further discussed later. From what has been discussed, it
becomes clear that disclosure, comprehension, competency and voluntariness are the four
essential parts of a consent.

 Beneficence- Do not harm

The ethical principle of beneficence refers to the Hippocratic be of benefit, do not harm. The
principle of beneficence includes the professional mandate to do effective and significant
research so as to better serve and promote the welfare of our constituents. Beneficence is
sometimes difficult to predict when creating a hypothesis especially in qualitative research. Carr
says that if the research findings prove that it was not beneficial as it’s expected, this can raise
immense ethical considerations especially for nurses.

 Respect for anonymity and confidentiality

The issue of confidentiality and anonymity is closely connected with the rights of beneficence,
respect for the dignity and fidelity. Anonymity is protected when the subject's identity cannot be
linked with personal responses. If the researcher is not able to promise anonymity he has to
address confidentiality, which is the management of private information by the researcher in
order to protect the subject's identity. Confidentiality means that individuals are free to give and
withhold as much information as they wish to the person they choose. The researcher is
responsible to maintain confidentiality that goes beyond ordinary loyalty. The researchers must
always bear in mind all psychological and social implications that a breach of confidentiality
may have on subjects. In order to protect participants, they have to inform them on their rights,
and use all possible coding systems that they regard appropriate in each case.

 Respect for privacy

Privacy is the freedom an individual has to determine the time, extent, and general circumstances
under which private information will be shared with or withheld from others. An invasion of
privacy happens when private information such as beliefs, attitudes, opinions and records, is
shared with others, without the patient’s knowledge or consent. A researcher cannot decide on
behalf of other persons on those delicate issues. All aims, instruments and methodology must be
discussed with the prospective subject and the research workers prior to the investigation.

 Vulnerable groups of people

Nowadays, there is an increased concern about vulnerable groups and whether it is ethical or not
for them to be used as research subjects. Vulnerability as one characteristic of people unable to
protect their own rights and welfare. So, vulnerable groups include captive populations
(prisoners, institutionalized, students etc.), mentally ill persons, aged people, children, critically
ill or dying, poor, with learning disabilities, sedated or unconscious.

Vulnerability increases the need for justification for the use of such subjects. An intense analysis
of potential risks and benefits should be the first step of starting such a research and careful
approach should exist both in acquiring consent and during the research procedure itself. Persons
with diminished autonomy are also more vulnerable to invasion of privacy, since their right to
privacy is limited in contrast to other's right to know. In the case of mentally ill, family as well as
employers and colleagues have the right to know while patients may not be able to see the
testimony of others in their own record. In the case of mentally ill patients, it is important to
measure comprehension and develop valid tools for it, before obtaining informed consent to
participate in a research study.

 Skills of the researcher

In research the three more important elements are the competency of the researcher, the careful
design, and worthwhile expected outcomes. Nurse researchers should have the necessary skills
and knowledge for the specific investigation to be carried out and be aware of the limits of
personal competence in research. Any lack of knowledge in the area under research must be
clearly stated. Inexperienced researchers should work under qualified supervision which has to
be reviewed by an ethics committee. What is more, careful choice of method for data collection,
to ensure validity and reliability, are two main requirements that must be met in all kinds of
research. The choice depends on the object of the study.

2. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS are the fact finding, they are the tools for data collection
and include questionnaire, interview and observation.

I. INTERVIEWS
It is an interaction in which oral questions are posed by the interviewer to elicit oral response
from the interviewee.

ADVANTAGE OF INTERVIEW

 Easy correction of speech: Any misunderstanding and mistake can be rectified easily in
an interview. Because the interviewer and interviewee physically present before the
interview board.
 Development of relationship: Relation between the interviewer and the interviewee can
be developed through an interview. It increases mutual understanding and co-operation
between the parties.
 Selection of suitable candidate: Suitable candidates can be selected through interview
because the interview can know a lot about the candidate by this process.
  Collection of primary information: Interview can help to collect the fresh, new and
primary information as needed.
 Sufficient information: Sufficient information can be collected through the interview
process. Because the interviewer can ask any question to the interviewee.
 Time saving: Interview can help to save time to select the best suitable candidate. Within
a very short time communication can be accomplished with the interview.
 Increasing knowledge: Any interview increases the knowledge of both the interviewer
and the interviewee. They can interchange their views and ideas.
 Flexible: One of the major advantages of interview is feasible. That depends on the
situation it can be framed differently.

DISADVANTAGES OF INTERVIEW

 Incomplete process: Suitable candidate cannot be selected by interview only. The

written test is more important than the interview.
 No record: In the case of the interview some confusion may be arisen in the future as,
there is no evidence actually that have been discussed at interview.
 Lack of attention: Much attention is required for a good interview. But sometimes it is
observed that both the interviewer and the interviewee are less attentive. That is why real
information cannot be collected.
 Disappointed: Interviewee may be disappointed while she or he faces the interviewer’s
questions which are not related to the field. That is why suitable candidate may be
neglected.
 Time consuming: Time constrain is one of the major limitations of the interview process.
Preparation for the interview, taking interviews and interpretation of the responses
required much time, which makes the interview method time consuming.
 Inefficiency of the interviewer: Interview is a systematic process of data collection. The
success of an interview depends on the efficiency of the interviewer. This inefficiency of
an interviewer can lead to misleading results.

II. OBSERVATION
Is one of the very important methods for obtaining comprehensive data in qualitative research
especially when a composite of both oral and visual data become vital to the research.
ADVANTAGES OF OBSERVATION
 Very direct method for collecting data or information best for the study of human
behavior.
 Data collected is very accurate in nature and also very reliable.
Improves precision of the research results.
 Problem of depending on respondents is decreased.
 Helps in understanding the verbal response more efficiently.
 By using good and modern gadgets – observations can be made continuously and also for
a larger duration of time period.
 Observation is less demanding in nature, which makes it less bias in working abilities.
  By observation, one can identify a problem by making an in depth analysis of the
problems.

DISADVANTAGES OF OBSERVATION
 Problems of the past cannot be studied by means of observation.
 Having no other option one has to depend on the documents available.
 Observations like the controlled observations require some especial instruments or tools
for effective working, which are very much costly.
 One cannot study opinions by this means.
 Attitudes cannot be studied with the help of observations.
 Sampling cannot be brought into use.
 Observation involves a lot of time as one has to wait for an event to happen to study that
particular event.
 The actual presence of the observer himself Vis a Vis the event to occur is almost
unknown, which acts as a major disadvantage of observation.
 Complete answer to any problem or any issue cannot be obtained by observation alone.

III. QUESTIONNAIRE
This is a data collection instrument mostly used in normative surveys. This is a systematically
prepared form or document with a set of questions deliberately designed to elicit responses from
respondents or research informants for the purpose of collecting data or information.
ADVANTAGES OF QUESTIONNAIRE
 Easy to construct
 Distribution is easy and inexpensive
 Response are easy to tabulate
 Respondent’s replies are free
 Confidential information may be given freely
 Respondents can fill out the questionnaire at will
 Respondents can give more accurate replies
DISADVANTAGES OF QUESTIONNAIRE
 Cannot be used to illiterate person
 Respondents may not return the filled up copies of the questionnaire
 Respondents give a wrong information
 Respondents may leave some or many questions un answered
 Number of choices may be so limited that the respondents may be forced to select
responses that are not his actual choice.