If you planned your study well, then the procedures to recruit participants, inform them about the study, and obtain their consent should be clear and easy to follow during data collection. Equally, researchers must be prepared to respond to different situations during data collection, where often they need to make decisions on their own and without immediate feedback from the rest of the team. This is especially true for fieldwork overseas or in remote communities.
All researchers involved in a research project should be trained well in research ethics and why certain procedures need to be followed. Taking research ethics and/or data privacy courses offered by your organisation, or referring them to this ethics course, are good places to start. Researchers should also be briefed about the specific study protocols and materials to be used. Also think about soft skills expected from a researcher, such as how to communicate with participants professionally and what to do when something unexpected happens. Having well-informed and confident researchers doing data collection is important to the success of any research project.
A good research plan is nothing if the implementation is very poor. Researchers must have the necessary skills to carry out the research according to what was intended and what was approved by the ethics committee(s). Furthermore, researchers must be aware when a situation calls for decision-making that is beyond their capability or level of authority so that they can seek help from their peers, seniors, or from members of their organisation.
Some research designs involve multiple sessions or working with participants for an extended period of time (e.g., weeks, months, or years). In this case, it is essential that participants have the opportunity to express continued consent to participate in the study, that they are reminded of their rights as participants, and that they know who to contact if there are any issues that cannot be resolved by the research team. For research involving children, researchers should check for signs of assent throughout the data collection process.
Consent is an ongoing process. Even if a participant agreed to participate in the study at first, they are free to change their minds at any time. They may realize that participating in your research study requires more amount of time or effort than they are willing to give. They do not have to feel obligated to keep participating in the study. They are also not required to explain why they want to withdraw from it. A responsible researcher respects this right and acknowledges that all research participation is voluntary.
Participants must be reminded of the possible risks of participating in the research. They should also be made aware that appropriate help can be given if they experience any discomfort or distress as a result of their research participation. For example, researchers must coordinate with local communities or authorities to know how they can access medical, psychological, social, or legal support if an emergency or a major problem arises while conducting research.
The safety and privacy of researchers must also be taken seriously. Here are some practical tips for keeping safe, adapted from guidance provided by The University of Oxford1:
Safety standards should apply equally to all members of the research team whether they are resident in research sites or the national and international project offices. Although it is not always easy to anticipate problems that can occur during research, it is good for a researcher or research team to agree ahead of time about a way to report an incident that affects participant or researcher safety in any way.
The benefits of the research should outweigh any risks involved on the part of the participants or the researchers. The researchers should be aware when situations are beyond their capacity and require intervention from a medical doctor, social worker, psychologist, law enforcer, or other professionals. Clear protocols must be in place to ensure that these risks have been considered and managed, and that researchers are equipped to protect themselves and the research participants from any harm.
Many things happen while implementing a research project. Some decisions and changes are made along the way. It is difficult to recall details of what you did, who are involved, and when, where, and why something happened after a research project is finished. Keeping a written research record during study implementation is one way to keep track of what happened in your project and to be able to describe it accurately when you are publishing the results.
Keeping written documentation of your process is a good way to check if you followed what you said you’ll do in your research plan. It is also a good way to ensure that your decisions are consistent with ethical and professional standards and that they can be easily retrieved and reviewed at a later time.