Ethics and Research Philosophies in Healthcare: An In-depth Report

This assignment provides a comprehensive overview of ethics and research philosophies within the context of healthcare. It begins by defining ethics in research and emphasizing the importance of ethical approval for studies involving human and animal participants. The report identifies and discusses major ethical issues such as informed consent, beneficence, and respect for privacy, detailing their implications for researchers and participants. Furthermore, it explores different research philosophies, highlighting the development, nature, and source of knowledge in research. The study emphasizes the need for researchers to address ethical concerns proactively to ensure the integrity of their work and protect the rights and values of all involved, concluding that robust and ethically sound research benefits everyone.

Running head: ETHICS AND RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES
Ethics and Research Philosophies
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
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1ETHICS AND RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES
Task 2
Ethics in Research
Introduction
Ethics referred to the moral principles or standards that govern the behavior of a person
while conducting any activity. In context to research, ethics is related to the way in which a
researcher treats the participants while conducting his research (Denzin and Giardina 2016). In
any research study, it is very important to give ethical approval prior to the commencement of a
specific research study. In fact, it is now regarded to be a standard practice that the researches
that make use of animals and human participants must be approved to commencement by the
institutional ethical review committee. However, it is to note that people absorb their ethical
standards from their homes and communities including schools, colleges etc. They discover their
basic sense of what is right and what is not during their childhood and their moral judgments
carry on developing all through their lives. Such rules and morals also contributes in the sense
how we expect others to behave with us and these rules and morals are linked with the values
and the judgments that are regarded to be appropriate to several ethics and situations that aid to
directing the activities of the individuals and groups as well as help the people in reaching a valid
conclusion.
There are certain moral judgments that could be applied to a specific situation in order to
make the decision and to guide our behaviors (Denzin and Giardina 2016). Undoubtedly, they
are related to the cultural values at a precise time frames in the history and they are also subject
to changes with the evolvement of values and attitudes. Following ethical standards in a research
project helps in promoting the research aim that comprise of the accuracy, data and the
circumvention of the mistakes. While conducting a research study there might be emergence of a
general conflict in between the speedy conduct of a particular study and the problem of doing the
thing that id deferential to the animals and the human beings (Harriss and Atkinson 2015). When
the researchers are focused on the expansion of knowledge as well as on the methodology of the
projects such as equipment and personnel, subject selection, statistical analysis, sample size and
the research protocols. With the same, as importantly accountable individuals, they try hard to

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respect the environment of the research that requires serious attention to the appropriate exercise
of both the physical resources like funds as well as the human and animal subject matters.
Ethical issues are something that cannot be ignored in any way and they are directly
linked with the integrity of a research piece as well as the disciplines that are involved in it.
Ethics are considered to be an important part of every research project. One might think that
ethics is just one of the stages of a research study and that it is tackled by filing out a
standardized set of forms that are submitted to the ethics committee (Guillemin and Gillam
2014). It is to note that ethics at present has become the cornerstone for conducting meaningful
and effective research study. Therefore, the ethical behavior of an individual researchers is under
unparalleled scrutiny. In present society, any type of concerns related to the ethical practices
would negatively impact the attitudes about the science and abuses that are committed by some
and this often receives a wide-spread publicity.
Ethical issues while conducting research project
The major ethical issues in conducting a research study are that of the informed consent,
beneficence, and respect for privacy.
Informed consent- The informed consent involves the process through which an individual might
choose whether or not to be involved in the research study proposed by the investigator (Harriss
and Atkinson 2015). In this case, the task of the researchers is to make sure that the participants
that are to be involved in the study have a well-detailed and complete knowledge of the methods
and the purpose that is to be used in the research study along with the risks that involved in it as
well as the demands that are placed upon them as a participant (Nebekar et al. 2016). Every
researchers need to be obliged to affirm the vitality of adhering with the ethical principles of the
informed consent along with their roles in the very research study. The participants must also
gain an in-depth knowledge that he or she has the right to withdraw from the study whenever
they want to. Basically, there are two different forms of consent and they are substitute and direct
(Palinkas et al. 2015). The substitute consent is also referred to as third party consent because it
is given by a person other than the one involved in the study. It could be obtained during the
times when it is determined that the individual does not have the potential to make the decision
and is dependent on others for his own welfare. The children who belong from under the age of

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18 and the people undergoing emotional or cognitive disabilities fall under such. Secondly, direct
consent, the most preferred one, is obtained directly from the individuals who are to be involved
in the research study. Both these consents is necessary to meet the needs for informed consent. In
this research study, the researcher would be attaining ample amount of consent from the
departmental participants as well as the organizational management (Palinkas et al. 2015). The
researcher shall warn the included participants about the potential harm related to the study and
would provide a very clear image for the participants for refusing to contribute as well as for
ending their involvement at any time as according to their wishes.
Beneficence- This might include many aspects such as physical harm, mental stress and the
potential harm to the livelihood and the confidence of the participants. The ethical standards
make it necessary for the researchers to not force the involved participants in a particular
situation where there might be a risk of them to get harm because of their action of participating
in the research study. Many of the participants such as the employees working in organizations
think that if they participate in the research study and are asked on their workplace culture and
processes, they might get in trouble as their boss might not like them to share their opinions.
Hence, it is the responsibility of the researcher to help in protecting the privacy of the involved
participants and to make them feel comfortable enough to give honest and open feedbacks and
opinions (Green et al. 2015). Majority of the research study could pledge the confidentiality of
the individual answers of the participants that they would not be available to any third person
who are outside of the research study. The research that have the possibility of harming the
participants is considered by most of the people as unacceptable.
Respect for privacy- Privacy for the participants of the research refers to the concept in the
research ethics that states that an individual belonging from the human subject matter has the full
right to privacy while participating in the research (Bender et al. 2017). It is the point when the
right to privacy and the objective of the study often comes into conflict. Privacy refers to the
freedom that an individual has to determine the extent, time and the general circumstances under
which the private information would be shares with others. As per Green et al. (2015), the
invasion of privacy takes place when the private information like the attitudes, records, opinions
and the beliefs are shared with the others without their consent or knowledge. A researcher
cannot decide on behalf of the other available participants on such delicate issues. All

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instruments, aims and methodologies needs to be discussed with the prospective of the subject as
well as the research workers before the process of investigation.
Conclusion
Hence, from the above discussion it is to state that if the research is based on a robust
design and if it is conducted in an ethical way, the outcomes of the research and the process of
knowledge generation could be of great benefit to each and everyone who are involved. Ethics is
a research study involves the consideration of what is right and what is wrong. It is about doing
the things that is accurate. However, the accuracy of the research study is not as simple as it is
conveyed to a wide range of business ethics text. According to most of the ethicist, there is
always a right thing to do on the basis of moral codes. With the same, some others believe that
the right thing that is to be done depends on the mere situation. Most of the philosophers
considers the ethics to be the science of conduct. Hence, ethical conduct is been perceived
differently among different people. However, awareness about the research ethics is very critical.
Furthermore, the identification of the ethical issues at the primary stages of the research project
offers an opening for evaluating the latent concerns about the principles, the rights and the values
of the participants as well as the researcher in conjunction with the organizational or public
interest.

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References:
Bender, J.L., Cyr, A.B., Arbuckle, L. and Ferris, L.E., 2017. Ethics and privacy implications of
using the internet and social media to recruit participants for health research: A privacy-by-
design framework for online recruitment. Journal of medical Internet research, 19(4).
Denzin, N.K. and Giardina, M.D., 2016. Introduction: Ethical futures in qualitative research.
In Ethical futures in qualitative research (pp. 9-44).
Green, C.A., Duan, N., Gibbons, R.D., Hoagwood, K.E., Palinkas, L.A. and Wisdom, J.P., 2015.
Approaches to mixed methods dissemination and implementation research: methods, strengths,
caveats, and opportunities. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health
Services Research, 42(5), pp.508-523.
Guillemin, M. and Gillam, L., 2014. Ethics, reflexivity, and “ethically important moments” in
research. Qualitative inquiry, 10(2), pp.261-280.
Harriss, D. J., and Atkinson, G., 2015. Ethical standards in sport and exercise science research:
2016 update. Int J Sports Med, 36(14), 1121-1124.
Nebeker, C., Lagare, T., Takemoto, M., Lewars, B., Crist, K., Bloss, C.S. and Kerr, J., 2016.
Engaging research participants to inform the ethical conduct of mobile imaging, pervasive
sensing, and location tracking research. Translational behavioral medicine, 6(4), pp.577-586.
Palinkas, L.A., Horwitz, S.M., Green, C.A., Wisdom, J.P., Duan, N. and Hoagwood, K., 2015.
Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation
research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services
Research, 42(5), pp.533-544.

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Task 3
Research philosophy
Introduction
Research philosophy is a very large topic and it deals with the development, nature and
the source of knowledge. In other words, it can be said that the research philosophy refers to the
belief regarding the ways in which information and data regarding a phenomenon must be
collected, used and analyzed. Although, it is a fact that the idea for knowledge creation might
appear to be very profound, one gets engaged in the creation of knowledge as a part of
completing the research study.
There are several studies that has elaborated and discussed the diverse classification and
explanation of the subject research philosophy. As per Chinn and Rinehart (2016), philosophy
refers to the system of assumptions and beliefs regarding the development of the knowledge. It is
to note that the development of knowledge must be an implanted theme within a particular
research study. A very significant research project could be attained by applying a wide range of
philosophy methodologies which could express the explanations at the time of whole process as
well as help the researchers in reaching an understanding of the assumptions which have been
regarded in the research. By means of determining the different complexities which might take
place at the time of a research study, the researcher needs to be embraced a research philosophy
which notably sets out the direction of a specific subject of the research and would follow the
key paradigms that would defined the key theory of their study.
Perspective on the research philosophy
There are different scholars who have spent several years doing debates on whether this
assortment of the research philosophies, methodologies and paradigms are appropriate. However,
none of them have reached to a firm agreement. Although the supporters of the research
philosophies possess common notions about the definition of axiology, epistemology and
ontology, there is no precision in the composition and classification of these approaches (Dillon
and Wals 2016). Being a researcher, deciding or choosing which research philosophy to use for
encompassing many important assumptions regarding the ways in which the world is viewed.

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These assumptions would strengthen the research strategy and is possibly to be the individual
interpretation of the relation in between the knowledge and the process through which it is
created.
It is to state that among all the approaches of research methodologies, there are three
major proportions in the discussion about the research philosophy and they are- epistemology,
ontology and axiology. Firstly, epistemology refers to the contemplation of what comprise of the
reality (Chinn and Rinehart 2016). Secondly, ontology explains about the norms and rights of the
reality. Lastly, axiology refers to the origin of the strategy that is to be used in the research study
(Bilau, Witt and Lill 2018). Each of these approaches contain important differences that would
influence the processes in which the researcher would think regarding the process and such
research paradigm include interconnected practices which classify the actual nature of the study
within the parameters of these proportions. However, it is also to note that the research
philosophies could result in fluctuation of the actual research goals and objectives and the
manner in which these goals need to be achieved. As per Lewis (2015), the different approaches
of research methodologies are the basic set of beliefs that guides the actions of the researcher.
However, later on the contemporary academics like Fitzgerald and Howcroft (2015) have
deliberated the research philosophies from axiological, epistemological and ontological
perspective like pragmatism, positivism and interpretivism. With the same, the researchers like
Schreiber (2015) have discussed the ontological perspective encasing the materialism, relativism,
idealism and realism as well as the epistemological interpretation that is comprised of
interpretivism and positivism.
Discussion
1. Choice of approaches
The choice of a particular research philosophy is influenced by the practical implications.
There are crucial philosophical differences in between the studies which focus on the numbers
and facts such as a brief analysis of the effect of the foreign direct investment on the GDP
growth level and the qualitative studies like the analysis of the leadership style on the issue of
employee motivation in an organization. The choice in between the interpretivist and the
positivist research philosophies or in between the qualitative and the quantitative research

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methods has earlier represented as one of the major points of debate. However, the latest
developments in the practice of conducting the studies have significantly increased the popularity
of the realism philosophies and pragmatism. Hence, the most popular data collection methods
that are associated with every research philosophy include positivism, pragmatism, realism and
interpretivism (Lewis 2015). However, it is also to mention that there is no methodology which
can be regarded as superior to the others and this is why, the researchers must undertake a
research study that should contemplate encouraging a mixed research methods for improving the
quality of the research study. With the same, it is also to note that it is widely known that
research study might comprise of the factors such as interpretivist and positivist methods that
would create a value for the research study if it is appropriately employed.
It is also to note in this context that there are two main choices for research and they are
induction and deduction. With the help of induction, data and information are collected and
theories are developed as a result of data analysis (Blagden 2016). On the other hand, with the
help of deduction, a hypothesis and a theory are developed. With the same, with deduction, a
research strategy is also designed in order to test the hypothesis.
2. Research strategies
The research strategy of a research paper introduces the major component of the research
study like the topic area and its focus, the research design, the perspective as well as the research
methods. This refers how the researcher propose to answer the research questions and he or she
would implement the research methodology. The main research strategies of a research paper are
qualitative interviews, case study, and quantitative survey and action-oriented research (Bentahar
and Cameron 2015). The case study strategy focuses on a deep investigation of a single case for
the research accuracy and efficiency. In the case study research, the information are sought from
various different sources and by the use of different types of data like survey, observations,
document analysis and interviews. The data could be quantitative, qualitative or can be mixed as
well. Furthermore, the qualitative interviews refer to the different types of qualitative interviews
like the structured, unstructured or the semi-structured and this is the most widely used method
for collecting data (Fitzgerald and Howcroft 2015). The interviews enables access to rich amount
of information and they needs extensive planning regarding the development of the structures
and the decision regarding who to interview and how to do that, whether or not to conduct group

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interviews to go for individual interviews as well as how to record the interviews and analyze
them. With the same, the quantitative survey is one of the widely used research methods and it
allows the access to notably high number of participants. The availability of the online websites
has made it easier for a wide yet cheap distribution of surveys and other information relevant to
different research studies. Furthermore, the action-oriented research refers to the practical
business research process that is directed or aimed towards the change or the creation of certain
recommendations for the change (Bilau, Witt and Lill 2018). The action-oriented research study
refers to the participatory process that brings together different practices and theories, reflection
and action. Such projects are often carried out by the insiders as because of the fact that it is
grounded in the requirement to actively involve the participants for developing ownership of the
project.
Conclusions and recommendations
Hence, from the above discussion it is clear that the terms philosophy is related to the
development process of the knowledge and its nature. It contains important assumptions
regarding the ways in which the researcher view the world. There are three main ways of
thinking regarding the research philosophy and they are ontology, epistemology and axiology.
Each of these contain important differences that would influence the manner in which the
researcher think of the process of research.
It is the duty of every researcher to have an in-depth understanding of different
approaches of research philosophy so that he or she could easily determine what should be
employed to make a proper research study. There is of great importance for a researcher to have
an awareness and in-depth understanding about the different research approaches that are
necessary for performing any research project. It is necessary for the researcher to anticipate the
probable fluctuations and the unexpected conditions which might potentially arise at the time of
the research process. Hence, identification of the philosophy model and implementation of the
carefully chosen research strategies would demonstrate an understanding and awareness from the
researcher and shall also ensure that the research study could be appropriately maintained.

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References:
Bentahar, O. and Cameron, R., 2015. Design and Implementation of a Mixed Method Research
Study in Project Management. Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, 13(1).
Bilau, A.A., Witt, E. and Lill, I., 2018. Research methodology for the development of a
framework for managing post-disaster housing reconstruction. Procedia engineering, 212,
pp.598-605.
Blagden, D., 2016. Induction and deduction in international relations: squaring the circle
between theory and evidence. International studies review, 18(2), pp.195-213.
Chinn, C.A. and Rinehart, R.W., 2016. Epistemic cognition and philosophy: Developing a new
framework for epistemic cognition. Handbook of epistemic cognition, pp.460-478.
Dillon, J. and Wals, A.E., 2016. On the dangers of blurring methods, methodologies and
ideologies in environmental education research. In Towards a Convergence Between Science and
Environmental Education (pp. 113-124).
Fitzgerald, B. and Howcroft, D., 2015. Towards dissolution of the IS research debate: From
polarization to polarity. In Formulating research methods for information systems (pp. 66-93).
Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Lewis, S., 2015. Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five
approaches. Health promotion practice, 16(4), pp.473-475.