Highlight why it’s important to pay special attention to the extent to which research study participants are able to voice opinions/concerns about participation.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Ans: Answer would ideally include: All researchers need to be thoroughly cognizant of research ethics. Part of doing so is represented in the act of allowing research participants a voice in the study. This means that research study participants should always be able to voice opinions/concerns about their participation. As practitioners in the social sciences, researchers are particularly called on to maintain a focus on the ethical treatment of other humans, which includes ensuring that each participant has access to the researcher if questions or concerns arise. This will enable participants to express thoughts or problems directly to the leader of the study, which the researcher should then adjust to maximize the ethical treatment of humans. In studies with vulnerable populations, participants may not be able to speak for themselves; therefore, it is incumbent on the researcher to provide a means for expression in these instances. Because researchers are directly responsible for ethical human treatment of participants, providing participants with adequate and appropriate means of communication with the researcher is nonnegotiable.