Ethical responsibilities

Collecting, using, and sharing data collected requires careful consideration of ethical standards for research. Every academic discipline has its tailored guidelines produced by professional bodies and relevant funding organisations.

The UK’s main funder of social science research, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), outlines six key principles for social science research ethics as listed below.

• Research should maximise benefits for individuals and society and minimise risk and harm.
• The rights and dignity of individuals and groups should be respected.
• Wherever possible, participation should be voluntary and appropriately informed.
• Research should be conducted with integrity and transparency.
• Lines of responsibility and accountability should be clearly defined.
• Independence of research should be maintained and where conflicts of interest cannot be avoided they should be made explicit.

Source: ESRC Framework for research ethics