Ethical Issues in Research Projects - Essay Example

According to the research outline, the main method that would be used to obtain the needed information was conducting interviews that involved not only the sellers but also the community and the locals. The interviews would allow the researchers to get first-hand information concerning their characteristic under study which would be paramount if dependable and accurate results were to be obtained. The fact that the research was also to be conducted not only on major drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and crack but also on drugs considered to be overlapping these drugs also adds into the credibility of the results that would be obtained from this particular study.

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Though the respondents intended would be sufficient for the study, the research should also have focused not only on the sellers as their primary interviewees but also the people buying and using the drugs. This would have provided a better overview of the characteristic under study since information would be available from both sides. It maybe would also have been better if instead of researching on some drugs, the research is focused on one or two specific drugs to obtain more meaningful results.

The approach to be used for conducting interviews which involve paying each of the respondents 20 Euros is not ethical to some extent. Offering payments in return for information is considered to be a likely factor that could influence the outcome of the research results. The information extracted from the informants is supposed to be voluntary for it to be considered true and accurate. Nonetheless, it is still one of the best approaches of ensuring co-operation of the respondents as they get to feel appreciated for the information they give out. The researchers' plans to also obtain a written agreement confirming the interviewees' informed consent to be interviewed and guarantee of confidentiality are also considered good ethical practices that any research project should adhere to.

In the research outline, the researchers plan to select sites on which they will conduct their research. They have divided the sites according to distinct characteristics that they possess either with regards to their ethnic constitution or availability of drug markets. This makes it possible for more conclusive results to be obtained as the factors aiding in drug sale and abuse vary with the localities. A clearer picture of the real situation can thus be obtained with the employment of such an approach. The 7 to 10 respondents proposed in the research outline per site, however, may be a very small number. For proper inferences to be obtained, a slightly higher number per site should be considered unless the area covered by a site is very small. Above all, the researchers should provide a way of ensuring that the respondents benefit from the research they intend to conduct and that the risks, if any, to be faced during and after the studies are minimal.

The semi-structured approach of interviewing provides a basis for more accurate results. Such a structure ensures minimal bias of the information obtained from the respondents increasing the reliability of the results. The intention to use questionnaires with a vast number of questions including past experiences with drugs and dealing practices provides an excellent basis for the development of a sound conclusion. The time allocated for the interviews need to be adjusted. The 45 to 60-minute time allocation would not be adequate for the interviews to be conducted efficiently. The four sites represent a vast area that requires adequate time allocation for the interviews to be conducted conclusively.

An alternative to doing interviews in four sites would be choosing a single place that possesses all the characteristics of interest in this research. This way, the time required to carry out the study and the resources, human and financial, will be saved for other phases of the project. Interviewing the community using the quota approach with a 200-member quota sample size proves to be a favorable approach that would ensure that the whole community is well represented. The quota system, according to the research outline, gives a reflection of the population parameter under study. The quota system applied also guarantees the community anonymity that would prevent them from experiencing possible reprisals and stigma from the information that they've shared.

The research outline makes provision for the interviewees to deviate from the questionnaires and explore more interesting alternatives that they would wish. This is advantageous to the researchers and the research as the deviation from the usual questions in the questionnaires provides information that would not have been captured if the questionnaires were strictly used. Instead of using the surveys, the researchers could have considered engaging the respondents in interactive conversations that would make them be able to open up to them more concerning the questions that they had. The outline of the research, though good enough, still needs to bring some pertinent factors necessary for the research to be able to deliver the desired results.