RESEARCH ETHICS

RESEARCH ETHICS

In most research studies three parties are involved: the researcher, the user and the subject. The interaction of each of these parties with one or both of the other two parties identifies a series of ethical issues. A number of questions arise because researchers believe they have the right to seek information, and subjects believe that they have a certain right to privacy. Just as there are ethical aspects concerning all human interaction, there are some ethical questions about business research. Some of the code of ethics to be followed by the researchers are as given below:

• Researcher should maintain high standards to ensure that the data are accurate.
• Researcher should not intentionally try to prove a particular point.
• Researcher should ensure that the data have been scientifically investigated and his findings are totally objective.
• Researcher should not misrepresent the statistical accuracy of the data, nor should he overstate the significance of the results by altering the findings.
• Researcher should ensure that privacy and anonymity of the respondents are preserved.
• Researcher, prior to entering business research, should check for code of ethics set out by the professional associations.

Thesis Writing

Thesis writing is the final stage of the research. It provides the achievement of detailed knowledge over the problems. When a researcher takes a problem for study he finds modifications of his study. He applies some new techniques. There are three types of researchers who take their study in different ways: the post-graduates take their for the partial fulfillment, the doctoral degree also takes researches and professional research workers like scientists, sociologists, psychologists and anthropologists take their study for the achievement of detailed knowledge over the problems.

Characteristics of Thesis

It has following characteristics:

1. It is the final stage of the research.
2. It provides overall view and solution to the problem.
3. It provides all the elements of the project taken for study to other researchers.
4. It bears the total summary of the work.
5. It satisfies all its researchers by providing partial or detailed knowledge over their problems.

Benefits of Thesis Writing

1. The investigator classifies and systematizes his work.
2. The other researchers also may follow the same principle.
3. The students and the educators who could make use of the findings of the investigation.

Considerations in Thesis Writing    

The researcher takes some major considerations which help him in writing the report in a very developed way:

i.What should the general structure of his report be ?

ii.What form should the development, evaluation and organization of his ideas take ?

iii What language medium should he use for his report ?

1. What other media can he use for reinforcing his verbal report?
2. What steps should he take to get it typed correctly?

Format of the Thesis Writing

 For the  preparation of research report, the researcher should follow some steps through which he will be able to make his report a critical and synthetic one.

1. Preliminary section
2. Main Body of the report
3. Reference section.

The Preliminary Section

• Title Page

Title page carries the name of the project. It should be clearly typed in capital letters. It should be beautifully printed or typed because it impresses the mind of the readers. It creates a curiosity among them to read the report. It bears the name of the topic, name of the author, the purpose of the study, the name of the institution and the date of presentation.

• Acknowledgment

At the time of the study, if the researcher has received help and assistance of others, he renders thanks to them. The acknowledgment should be simple in nature.

• Table of contents

He should clearly mention the procedures and steps of preparation of his study in content. In content he also makes his study specific and mentions the pages which hold the length of the chapters of the study.

• List of Tables

 A statistical analysis is more clear when it is mentioned through tables.

• List of Figures. Examples and points maybe given through figures by utilizing Roman numerals like (i) (ii) (iii), etc. In all pages of preliminary section, body of the report, and reference section are numbered with Roman numerals.

Main Body

This section may be divided into five divisions:

(a) The first section of this branch introduces the topic. Introduction of the topic may follow the statement of the problem, significance or actual need of the problem for the study, purposes of the study and assumptions and limitations. All these steps in introduction of the topic should be carefully defined.

(b) The second section of the study analyses the important literature related to the study. Previous studies, if any in the area, are taken for reviewing.

(c) The third section of the study explains the design of the study. The tools and techniques which are used for making the study smooth and to make the study systematic are described in detail. The source from where the data have been collected and the methods used for collecting data and devices used for collecting data should be clearly mentioned.

(d) It deals with the presentation and analysis of data. It is the most important stage of research project. Through textual discussions and tabular and graphic devices the data are analysed and reported.

(e) It holds the summary and conclusions of the total work. After a critical discussion of the total project, the summary is drawn. It represents the most significant result of the investigation. The summary should be ideal in writing because it makes the readers interested to read whole project.

Reference Section

Each and every research work is based on a set of literature which forms the foundation for the research theme. This includes identification of the broader area of research and then narrow downing the specific research issues which are not yet tried by other researchers. Further, literature are helpful for using appropriate tools of analysis. The references can be classified into journals, books, magazines, newspapers, research studies etc. Following points should be kept in mind while mentioning the references:

(a) Reference section of the study occupies a very important place in the research study. Reference followed at the time of study should be arranged in bibliography alphabetically. The title of the author is listed first. The short statement on references should be given for the clear understanding and the actual usefulness.

(b) The articles which are taken from journals should be included in the bibliography as per the following format :

Author(s), Title of the article, Name of the journal, Volume of the journal, Issue number of the volume, Year of publication, from to numbers of the pages of the article.

(c) Appendix is preceded by a sheet containing the word APPENDIX capitalized and centered on the page. Tables and data, questionnaires, tests and other data gathering devices may be placed in the appendix.

(d) Foot-notes are very essential in report writing. The researcher should give the required explanations and references through foot-notes which will help other researchers to follow. These are placed at the bottom of the page.