Research Ethics and Methods of Qualitative Data Collection

Research Ethics

Ethical principles of research are aimed at protecting the rights and well-being of participants. Every study involving humans must undergo an ethical review/approval.

Key Ethical Principles:

1. Informed Consent Participants must:

• Understand the purpose of the research
• Know what is expected of them (time, procedures)
• Be informed about possible risks and benefits
• Know how data will be used and stored
• Have the right to refuse to participate or withdraw at any time without negative consequences

Informed consent is usually formalized as a consent form, which the participant signs. For online studies, electronic consent is allowed.

2. Confidentiality and Anonymity

• Confidentiality — the researcher knows who provided the data but does not disclose this information to third parties
• Anonymity — even the researcher does not know which data belong to a specific participant
• Data must be stored securely
• Pseudonyms are used in the report

3. Do No Harm

• Minimization of physical, psychological, and social risks
• Special caution when studying sensitive topics (violence, health, financial status)
• Readiness to refer the participant to specialized help if necessary

4. Right to Withdraw Participants may cease participation at any time without explaining reasons and without negative consequences for them.

Interview as a Data Collection Method

Interview is one of the main methods of qualitative data collection. It is a purposeful conversation between the researcher and the participant.

Types of Interviews:

Structured Interview

• Pre-prepared list of questions
• All questions are asked in a fixed order
• Minimal flexibility
• Essentially an oral questionnaire
• Suitable for quantitative analysis of responses

Semi-structured Interview

• Flexible list of topics/questions (interview guide)
• The researcher can change the order of questions, ask clarifying questions
• Balance between structure and flexibility
• The most common type in qualitative research

Unstructured Interview

• Minimal preliminary structure
• Conversation is guided by the participant's interests
• Maximum depth, but complexity in analysis

Conducting a Semi-structured Interview

Preparation:

1. Develop an interview guide — a list of topics and preliminary questions
2. Start with simple, “warm-up” questions
3. Main questions — open-ended, aimed at experience and perception
4. Prepare probing questions: “Can you tell me more about this?”, “Why do you think so?”, “Can you give an example?”

Types of Questions:

• Descriptive: "Tell me about your typical workday"
• Evaluative: "How do you assess the effectiveness of this program?"
• Comparative: "How does your current experience differ from your previous one?"
• Hypothetical: "If you could change one thing, what would it be?"

Interviewer Skills:

• Active listening — demonstration of attention, nodding, clarification
• Probing — deepening answers through additional questions
• Managing pauses — comfortable silence gives the participant time to think
• Neutrality — avoid reactions that might influence answers

Focus Groups

Focus group is a moderated group discussion, usually with 6-10 participants.

Characteristics:

• Moderator directs the discussion according to set topics
• Group dynamics — participants react to each other’s statements, generating richer data
• Usually lasts 60–90 minutes
• Recorded on audio (with participants' consent)

Advantages:

• Group dynamics generate ideas that would not arise in an individual interview
• More time-efficient than individual interviews
• Opportunity to observe social interaction

Disadvantages:

• Dominance of one or several participants
• Conformity — some participants may adjust their answers to fit the group's opinion
• Difficulty discussing sensitive topics
• More complex logistically

Practical Assignments

Assignment 1

Question: Develop a guide of 5 questions for a semi-structured interview on the topic “Employees' experience during the transition to remote work.” Justify the type of each question.

Solution:

1. "Tell me how your company transitioned to remote work?" — descriptive, warm-up question. Allows the participant to start with a factual description
2. "What main difficulties did you experience in the first months of remote work?" — exploratory. Reveals problems and barriers
3. "How has your interaction with colleagues and management changed?" — comparative. Uncovers changes in communication
4. "How do you assess your productivity during remote work compared to office work?" — evaluative. Subjective assessment of effectiveness
5. "If you were to advise a company transitioning to remote format, what would you recommend?" — hypothetical/recommendation. Allows the participant to summarize their experience

Probing questions for each: "Can you give a specific example?", "Why was this the most difficult?", "How did you deal with it?"