Chapter Two - Practical and Ethical Issues in Planning Research

Using the example given in the text (children's aggressive behaviour as a function of age), think about what should be considered when formulating the research question. Which of the following statements is false?

Which of the following strategies is useful when defining a particular research question?

When recruiting participants, there are a number of issues that should be considered. Which of the following statements is false?

	a)	Participant non-compliance is particularly important as this may indicate that there is a serious flaw in the research procedure. This will inevitably lead to the researcher abandoning the study and re-formulating a new participant-friendly area of research.
	b)	Participant attrition is inevitable, particularly in longitudinal research. This can be overcome to some degree by recruiting a large sample of participants.
	c)	Participants should be assured of confidentiality and the anonymity of their results.
	d)	It is important to foster good relationships with 'gatekeepers' as it is only with their permission that researchers can gain access to sensitive samples of participants (e.g. patients / schoolchildren).
Correct! Non-compliance is often to be expected. This can be overcome to some extent by recruiting a large sample. See p.34. Sorry that answer is incorrect, please try again. See p.34 for more information.Your answer has been saved.

When embarking on research, pilot work is useful because...

With regard to data collection, which of the following statements is false?

	a)	Before embarking on the research, it is essential that researchers identify the types of data to be collected.
	b)	Before embarking on the research, it is essential that researchers identify the type of statistical analysis to be implemented.
	c)	Before embarking on the research, it is not essential to identify the statistical analysis to be performed on the data as this may change as a result of the type of data collected.
	d)	Before embarking on the research, it is essential to ensure that sufficient data will be collected to enable the proposed statistical analysis to be used.
Correct! It is very important to identify the type of statistical analysis to be performed on the data. See 2.3.6. Sorry that answer is incorrect, please try again. See 2.3.6 for more information.Your answer has been saved.

Ethical considerations are a very important part of psychological research. Which of the following statements is false?

	a)	Participants should be protected from physical and mental harm during the research process.
	b)	Informed consent should be sought in all cases. In situations where the participant is unable to give this (young children / adults with impairments), informed consent should be given by parents or by those in loco parentis.
	c)	Deception is an inevitable and part of research. Misleading participants is acceptable as long as they are never informed of the true nature of the investigation.
	d)	Debriefing of participants is essential and gives the researcher the opportunity to discuss the participant's experience of the research process and negate any effects of the investigation.
Correct! For more information on this topic see 2.2.3. Sorry that answer is incorrect, please try again. See 2.2.3 for more information.Your answer has been saved.

When embarking upon a research project, which of the following issues should be considered?