Learning Diary 4: Ethics

What ethics means?
“Ethics, also known as moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice”

The ethics come from judgments made on our values and beliefs and our experience in life of what’s right and wrong. The research project raised ethical concerns, especially where individuals are directly involved.  As a practitioner-researcher, I should be aware of these issues and how I might respond to them.

•    Ethics at work:

“Work ethics include not only how one feels about their job, career or vocation, but also how one does his/her job or responsibilities. This involves attitude, behaviour, respect, communication, and interaction; how one gets along with others. Work ethics demonstrate many things about whom and how a person is.”

Here are the main ethical issues that is required to conduct my project research at workplace:

1. Approval to carry out the research.
2. Permission to get access to confidential data (client’s data).
3. Anonymity when recording and using the certain data.
4. Use the data as its required and supposed from me to use.
5. Access the data in work time at workplace.
6. No distributing, manipulating, publishing and exchanging the data.

•    Ethics when conducting my research:

When planning my research project, I’ll need to consider the following:

1. Anonymity to questionnaire respondents.
2. No follow-up or tracking individuals.
3. No personal data will be recorded or collected that could lead to their identity.
4. The research team will confidentially review the research results; no one else will be involved.
5. The research objectives and aims should be clear to the participants
6. Informed consent for participants in research before conducting on the survey or interviews.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethics
What are work ethics? http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/what-are-work-ethics-faq.htm