Posted: June 27th, 2023

Week 2 Discussion: How Sociologists Conduct Research

Week 2 Discussion: How Sociologists Conduct Research

Sociologist Rik Scarce went to jail because he refused to identify someone who was thought to be his research participant and had engaged in criminal activity. In Scarce’s view, to identify his research participants would have violated the confidentiality that he had promised them. Please read the article about Rik Scarce (linked below), as well as the Week 2 learning resources. This discussion question has two parts:

Part 1. Do you think that Rik Scarce should have gone to jail for protecting the identity of his research participant? Why or why not? Are there any particular situations you can think of in which a researcher should name their participants and in which they should not name their participants? Based on what you learned in this week’s learning resources, what do you think the most ethical approach would be to resolving situations when researchers are asked to identify their research participants?

Part 2. Reviewing the various types of research in the Week 2 learning resources, which research method do you think would be most vulnerable to ethical problems? Which research method do you think would be least vulnerable to ethical problems? Please explain your answers in light of the Week 2 learning resources.

References and Citations
Here are the references you should cite in your main post:

Scarce, R. (2013). Going to jail for research subjects: A conversation with Rik Scarce. ACJS Today, 38(3), 15-21.

University of Maryland Global Campus. (n.d.). Week 2. How sociologists conduct research. Document posted in UMGC SOCY 100 online classroom, archived at https://learn.umgc.edu

Make sure to include the complete reference information at the end of your post. If you refer to any additional sources, please be sure to include them in your reference list as well.

When referring to the different topics of the material in the Learning Resources within your posts, use the following citation format: (UMGC, n.d., name of topic).

For example: (UMGC, n.d., Research Methods) or (UMGC, n.d., Ethical Concerns). For the article by Scarce, the citation is (Scarce, 2013).

If you use any additional sources in your posts, be sure to cite them in the post and include the full reference information at the end of the post. To learn more about how to cite in APA style, visit the UMGC Library at APA 7th Edition Citation Examples: General Rules.

Provide your initial post by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. Your initial post should be at least 200 words in length, excluding the discussion prompt and the references. Please use in-text APA citations within your post as well as full APA references at the end of your post.

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Part 1:

In my opinion, Rik Scarce should not have gone to jail for protecting the identity of his research participant. Confidentiality is a crucial aspect of ethical research, and researchers have an ethical obligation to protect the privacy and confidentiality of their participants. Scarce’s refusal to identify his research participant can be seen as upholding this ethical principle.

There are situations in which a researcher should name their participants and situations in which they should not. In some cases, identifying participants may be necessary, such as when reporting instances of harm or illegal activities that pose a threat to others. However, in situations where identifying the participants can lead to harm or breach of confidentiality, it is ethically appropriate for researchers to maintain anonymity.

To resolve situations when researchers are asked to identify their research participants, the most ethical approach would involve considering the potential harm that may arise from disclosing their identities. Researchers should weigh the benefits of identifying participants against the potential negative consequences, ensuring that the principles of privacy, confidentiality, and informed consent are upheld.

Part 2:

Among the various research methods discussed in the Week 2 learning resources, qualitative research methods, such as in-depth interviews and ethnography, could be more vulnerable to ethical problems. These methods involve close interaction with participants, and the researcher may become privy to sensitive and personal information. The ethical challenges may arise in ensuring participant confidentiality and anonymity, particularly when presenting research findings. Maintaining the privacy and consent of participants can be complex in qualitative research, and researchers must navigate these ethical concerns with care.

On the other hand, survey research, a quantitative research method, may be less vulnerable to ethical problems. Surveys typically involve collecting data from a large sample of participants, often with anonymized responses. Researchers can design surveys to minimize the potential for identifying individual participants, reducing the risk of breaching confidentiality. However, ethical concerns can still emerge, such as obtaining informed consent and ensuring the protection of personal information during data collection and storage.

In conclusion, while qualitative research methods may be more vulnerable to ethical challenges due to the close relationship between researchers and participants, ethical considerations must be addressed in all research methods. Researchers should prioritize maintaining participant confidentiality, informed consent, and minimizing harm in their studies, regardless of the research approach used.

References:

Scarce, R. (2013). Going to jail for research subjects: A conversation with Rik Scarce. ACJS Today, 38(3), 15-21.

University of Maryland Global Campus. (n.d.). Week 2. How sociologists conduct research. Document posted in UMGC SOCY 100 online classroom, archived at https://learn.umgc.edu