TOA 7012: Research Methodology

ASSESSMENT 2: Research Ethics Reaction Paper

Student: ZIJUAN TANG

Student ID: S2037383

Answer Sheet
 To answer question 1a, first of all, Ali should take into account the scientific
advantages, identify the overall risks of conducting the research, and uncover the
solutions to mitigate the risks. This is because the first objective of Ali's study is to
gather the Children's language development information from the parents. Therefore,
Ali must consider the comprehensive and decent scientific merits of his study to
make sure the parents are fully aware of the contribution and willing to share the
information of their children with a stranger.
In addition, Ali has to think of every risk and come out with solutions to the
potential dangers. To be specific, the main sample population is children. Kids may
be much harder to control and understand such scientific things even if Ali explains
everything crystal clearly to them and their parents. Hence, Ali should come out with
a whole plan to deal with these unexpected conditions and make sure the parents
understand it and are cooperative.
Secondly, Ali needs to make sure the participants and their guardians fully
comprehend their right to privacy and sign informed consent. For example, Ali
should clarify that they have the right to withdraw from the study which would not
result in any disadvantage to them, and the information related to the children and
their families would be used only for the purpose of research. Besides, when signing
the informed consent, Ali should explain every term to them and make them
understand. This way provides a guarantee and insurance to the participants.
Thirdly, Ali must have measures to protect confidentiality and anonymity. This is
because the participants may not wish to expose any information about themselves,
particularly their children since Ali needs the recording from the kids. For instance,
Ali can add a term into the informed consent that the video recordings of Children will
be preserved as classified documents and will not be used for anything else but only
for research use.
Another example of protecting anonymity is that Ali's research can only collect
participants' indirect characteristics, such as gender, age, the language used for
speaking, etc. He cannot collect their private information which may be specific
characteristics and identities of these participants. The measures of ensuring
confidentiality and anonymity can not only relieve parents' concerns but also show
sincerity, rigorous research procedures, and justice. Therefore, the protection of
confidentiality and anonymity must be considered before recruiting the participants
for Ali's research.

To answer question 1b, protecting the participants in a study should be highlighted

as the top target of researchers. Confidentiality is one of the most crucial aspects of
protection. In Ali's research, he should consider two steps to ensure Confidentiality.
First, in the informed consent sheet, there should be a term addressing that the
participants' identity, personal information, video recording resources, etc. will not be
disclosed to any outsider of the research even the future research without the
agreement of the participants or their guardians. This step provides documented
paperwork as insurance and guarantees to the participants.
 Apart from that, after completing the data collection, the participants and their
guardians should be informed about the preservation of their information and video
recordings, for example, how it will be stored, if it is in a computer or hardware or
DVD; which institution or research journal has authorized these data; and so on.
Besides, if these data will be stored as electronic resources, Ali should encrypt the
documents and make them accessible to participants. Thus, making the post-data
collection procedures transparent to participants also enhances the maintaining of
Confidentiality.
The above two steps sufficiently escort the Confidentiality and protect the
participants in Ali's study.

For question 2b, the informed consent is well-informed in the protection of

participants' confidentiality and anonymity. In the form, the researchers stated the
clear procedures for the preservation of the collected data and information. For
example, withholding the content of students' journals and relevant recordings
maintain confidentiality and students‘ privacy. Additionally, the informed consent also
guarantees anonymity because the institution promised the names of participants
hidden from any publication and video material. Meanwhile, this form also indicated
that the pseudonym will be used for all the participants involved after publishing in
journals if there is any data related to them.
Next, it ensures that participants involved are fully aware of the tasks they should
complete in this research, as well as the follow-up procedures after the
dissemination of the results and accomplishment of this study. To be specific, the
researcher explains to participants the contribution the learners should make, such
as keeping a journal, completing the weekly tasks, as well as the function of the
focus group. Apart from that, the informed consent addressed clearly what will be
done after completing the study, such as reviewing by the UM Ethics Committee and
publishing in academic journals.
Lastly, this consent sheet well highlighted that participants have rights in particular
in the fact that their participation is voluntary. This is because the sheet emphasizes
several times under different terms that participants have the right to withdraw from
this project at any time. Also, it assures that there will be no disadvantages brought
to them and all the collected data related to him/her will be destroyed if participants
wish to withdraw.
The three aspects which are well explained make the cooperation between the
researchers and participants involved more smooth and more efficient, provide
insurance for people being involved, and present a rigorous and sincere scientific
spirit.

As for the last question 2b, the informed consent sheet may still be insufficient and
need to be improved in several aspects. First, this form lacks identification of risks
and benefits before and after the study, thus, naturally, it does not specify the
corresponding solutions, such as remuneration and compensation for injuries. The
drafter of this consent form should clarify if there is any potential danger and the
benefits or contributions of the current research. Otherwise, this could lead to a
knowledge gap for potential participants deciding whether they would like to join in
this research and may reduce their interest and enthusiasm towards this study.
Besides, participants would not be able to react, in time and take efficient measures
to protect their rights due to the lack of solutions proposed in the sheet. For instance,
if participants are infected with Covid-19 during the pandemic because of close
contact with other participants or researchers, what remuneration and compensation
will be given? Therefore, without statements on risks and benefits before and after
the study, it may be not a prudent informed consent sheet and study because the
researchers fail to inform of any unpleasant conditions that may happen during the
data collection procedures.
Secondly, this form fails to elaborate more on the details of the research procedure
and scientific purpose. Specifically, in the section on the aims of the study, the
drafter does not explain what is the new courseware exactly, resulting in an
insufficient understanding of potential participants to the issue. Meanwhile, the
drafter only claims the efficacy in academic writing without a particular declaration of
which subjects or majors are targeted because it is unlikely that the new courseware
developed by UM applies to all the postgraduate programmes offered. Being short of
more clues, the research will be seen as incomplete, unprofessional, less valuable,
and unaccepted by those potential participants.
Thirdly, there are no specific research procedures for data analysis being informed,
although this form provides some information regarding the tasks for participants to
accomplish. This is necessary because the journal is supposed to be private
ownership to every single person, the participants have the right to be informed how
their journals will be evaluated, processed, and analyzed. Therefore, it causes the
study procedures may not be transparent, less respectful to participants, and
destruct Confidentiality to some extent.
All three deficiencies can decrease the credibility of research ethics, further
affecting the reliability of research and making it less scientific. Hence, the
researchers should be careful when constructing the informed consent form and give
comprehensive, reliable, respectful, and sincere considerations for protecting our
participants.