People Studying People: Research Ethics in Society (FutureLearn)

Studies need to be designed to be worthwhile and any potential harm anticipated and minimised. Ethical research requires thinking carefully about what constitutes participation in research and the responsibilities of researchers not only to participants, but also to all those affected by a study.

Use an ethical appraisal framework to develop and assess research proposals

On this free online course you will be supported in reflecting on the value of ethical thinking for research and discover an ethical appraisal framework that you can apply to empirical research projects in social science, arts, education and the humanities. The course is designed to offer insights for both researchers and potential participants.

What you will study

The course starts by exploring what ethics is and why it is important to research through a consideration of examples of studies which can be challenged in terms of their ethicality. In Weeks 2 through to 4 we will use an ethical appraisal framework to illustrate ways of thinking about the ethical implications of designing a study and recruiting participants, taking into consideration different stakeholder perspectives. In Week 5 you will be able to apply the insights gained to a draft research proposal through a role play activity. To conclude, in Week 6, we will reflect on how it is important to show integrity as a researcher whilst conducting and reporting studies. This will include thinking about what might go wrong in a study and how these issues might be anticipated.

Get guidance on ethical social science research from the University of Leicester

This course has been developed by members of the University of Leicester College of Social Science, Arts and Humanities and is supported by an extensive set of resources for researchers on a website entitled Doing Ethical Research.

What topics will you cover?

- The importance of ethical thinking to studying society

- What constitutes unethical research

- What makes research worthwhile

- What a researcher can do to maximise the benefits of a study

- What is responsible research

- Which UK legislation and regulations researchers should consider

- What is respectful research

- Showing sensitivity, empathy and protecting vulnerable groups in research

- Ethical issues associated with ‘insider’ and ‘outsider’ researcher roles

- How researchers can be sure they are ‘doing the right thing’?

- Maintaining ethicality during fieldwork

- Maintaining ethicality when reporting and disseminating

Learning on this course

You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

- Reflect on the value of thinking ethically about social science research

- Apply consequential principles of ethical thinking to identifying a research focus

- Identify the range of responsibilities of a social science researcher

- Explore approaches to developing respectful research relationships

- Apply deontological principles of ethical thinking to meeting researcher obligations

- Develop informed decisions about what constitutes ethical social science research

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for current or aspiring researchers in Social Science, Arts or the Humanities. You may have a research project in mind or one that is underway. It would also suit those with broader interests in evaluating research involving human participants, including those as potential participants.