Reflecting on Ethical Processes and Dilemmas in Doctoral Research

Abstract

This paper discusses ethical dilemmas from an early-career researcher perspective, drawing upon doctoral research experiences—my own. The doctoral study involved life-history interviews with five primary-school-teacher mothers. During the study, ethical dilemmas arose that were not considered by me or in the official university ethical processes. This left me feeling vulnerable in the data-collection period and overwhelmed with concerns for the well-being of participants and for myself as researcher. This paper draws on my journal entries and reflections; detailed reflections of the pre-, during and post-fieldwork stages were collected (totalling over 600 entries). The paper utilizes critical incidents analysis to explore two ethical dilemmas from the data collection phase. Findings include personal reflections on experiences of university processes and the mismatch between the metaphor of ethics as a ‘hurdle’ on a smooth track to completion, and the real-life incidents and dilemmas that followed ethical approval. Recommendations are made for a consideration of doctoral ethical dilemma support and the limitations of formal ethics processes in UK universities.

Editorial for Special Issue on Regulation and Ethical Practice for Educational Research

“…This more dialogic, contextual and situational approach to ethical regulation might create wiser researchers than, as currently happens, compelling them to have pre-agreed ethical regulations before a study commences. This is a view with which Quickfall [5] concurs. She points to support being needed in responding to ethical dilemmas as they arise in research and calls for opportunities for on-going advice to be offered, particularly for early career researchers, since studies are unlikely to be conducted risk free.…”

“…They captured the data using audio and video recordings which they then transcribed and analysed into events maps, photographic images, and dialogic episodes to make sense of teachers' and learners' enactment of agency in defined cultural communities and learning contexts. Quickfall's [5] research used a set of life history interviews with teacher-mothers to gain an understanding of their experiences. However, her paper focuses on the implications of carrying out this study, rather than on the study itself, aiming to contribute to thinking about how ERCs and supervisors might effectively support early career researchers.…”

“…This understanding can be used to support cases made to ERCs for the approaches chosen for the research and help to educate ERCs about the potential participants, gatekeepers and stakeholders' perspectives in order to support their agency. Neither Cascant Sempere et al [3] nor Quickfall [5] explicitly offer a changing view of research participants. However, Quickfall focuses on the impact of research participants' behaviours on her as a researcher.…”

“…For Quickfall [5] this electronic world led to potential participants searching through her social media profile and feed in ways which not only felt as if work-life boundaries had been crossed but also potentially compromised the way she could choose how to engage with the participant as a researcher. As with McGregor & Frodsham [2], Quickfall [5] makes it of central importance that the ethics of data gathering and analysis are considered carefully and conscientiously at each step in a research project. For McGregor & Frodsham [2] this was to map how teachers and learners responded to each other and showed agency in different phases of lessons.…”

“…However, he argues that this practice conflicts with participatory approaches to research that prioritise shared ownership of a research project and risks silencing participants' voices from research outcomes. Quickfall [5] reflects on the fieldwork phase of her doctoral study in relation to ethical dilemmas which were not anticipated and arose after having gained ERC approval. She refers to critical incidents related to her recruitment strategy using social media and the emotional impact of carrying out interviews which she felt challenged her safety as a researcher.…”