Ethics is not a bureaucratic hurdle in research — it is a core dimension of intellectual integrity. Any research involving human participants (or sensitive data about people) requires careful ethical planning. In the Extended Investigation, ethical considerations must be identified and addressed before and throughout your project.
Research can cause real harm: psychological distress, invasion of privacy, breach of trust, professional damage, or stigmatisation of communities. Ethical guidelines exist to protect research participants, maintain public trust in research, and uphold the integrity of the research process itself.
KEY TAKEAWAY: In Extended Investigation, you must identify and address ethical issues in your rationale and plan, not simply acknowledge they exist. Show how your design minimises risk and respects participants’ rights.
Participants must agree to take part voluntarily and with full understanding of:
- What the research involves
- What data will be collected and how it will be used
- Any risks or potential discomfort
- Their right to withdraw at any time without penalty
Informed consent is not:
- Signing a form under pressure
- Consenting after the research has begun
- A verbal “sure” without understanding what you’re agreeing to
Special considerations:
- Minors (under 18) require parental/guardian consent as well as their own assent
- People with limited capacity to consent require additional safeguards
- Online surveys must include a consent section before any questions begin
Researchers must protect the identities and information of participants. What participants share in the context of a study must not be disclosed in identifiable form.
Confidentiality ≠ Anonymity:
- Anonymous data cannot be linked back to a person even by the researcher
- Confidential data can be linked back by the researcher but will not be disclosed to others
Participants have a right to privacy — the right to control information about themselves. Research must not intrude into private aspects of people’s lives without consent, and data collected must be kept secure.
EXAM TIP: A common exam scenario involves a flawed research design. Look for violations of consent (e.g., participants not told the purpose), confidentiality (names published), or privacy (collecting unnecessary personal data). Identify the violation, name the principle it breaches, and explain the harm it could cause.
Research should not cause unnecessary harm to participants — physical, psychological, social or financial. Where some risk is unavoidable, it must be:
- Minimised to the extent possible
- Proportionate to the potential benefit of the research
- Fully disclosed to participants in the consent process
Research should aim to benefit participants or society. This doesn’t mean all research must be immediately practical, but researchers must be able to articulate why the knowledge gained is worth the risks involved.
The benefits and burdens of research should be distributed fairly. Vulnerable populations (e.g., children, people experiencing mental illness, prisoners) should not be disproportionately used as research subjects simply because they are convenient to access.
COMMON MISTAKE: Treating ethics as a box to tick in the rationale rather than an ongoing consideration. Ethical issues can emerge during data collection (e.g., a participant discloses a safeguarding concern) and must be managed responsively. Document ethical decisions in your Journal throughout the project.
REMEMBER: Your school’s ethics guidelines (and potentially VCAA guidelines) govern what research involving human participants you may conduct. Consult your teacher before designing primary data collection methods.
