How we answer questions respectfully asked of us reflects our personality, class background, social position, and disposition.
The setting or context as the question is asked of us, and who is asking us also influences our way of responding to it.
Our ability to adjust and fit into the arena where and when the question is asked tells who we are relative to the one who is asking the question. Power differences are implied in such interaction. Often, the ethics of question-and-answer are undermined when the wielding of power is abused.
But that is not true in research. A good relationship between the researcher and the study participants is pursued because it primarily determines the quality of data gathered.
When some respondents refuse to answer a sample survey or are not aware about the issues asked, however, it does not mean that the researcher failed to make the required ‘connection’.
The numbers are still counted, and would matter greatly in the analysis.
In contrast, probing is pursued in qualitative research to help key informants remember some events related to the issues investigated. Otherwise, they do not qualify as key interviewees, and must be courteously replaced.
Nonetheless, the refusal of research participants to answer questions in part or those who withdraw from the whole process is their recognized right. Ensuring their protection from the negative consequences of divulging certain information is of prime importance.
They are also informed beforehand about the objectives of the interview, and the uses of data gathered as motivators for them to participate voluntarily.
Researchers must establish rapport with potential or probable research participants to secure their trust, and to encourage them to answer interview questions truthfully.
Deception or misrepresentation to get information is unethical. Getting informed consent verbally in a sample survey or through a signed document in iterative research is required before the interview.
Some researchers give tokens or cash to their respondents as appreciation or compensation for the hassles or lost income if they had to work to accommodate the interview.
When requested to come to a particular venue for group interviews or focus group discussions far from their residences, research participants are normally provided with transportation, meals, and accommodation.
Note that what is being compensated is not the value of information the informants are expected to provide, but for the burden/hassle they experience in agreeing to help complete the study. It is not bribery.
Incidentally, the practice of providing transportation or meals or accomodation to key respondents could be an object of abuse by the researchers; or by the study participants as well.
Assuming that research participants may not give honest answers, researchers cannot question or accuse them immediately of allegedly giving false information.
In the first place, researchers are only expected to ask the questions, and then assume the honesty of every research participant in providing answers, particularly those identified randomly in sample surveys.
In qualitative research, key informants can be replaced if their responses are found to be not reliable, or if they do not meet the eligibility requirements set out by the researchers.
Researchers also have tools or techniques by triangulation to validate information in the case of qualitative research.
The technique involves asking other key informants similar questions, referring to secondary data and documents, or engaging in passive participant observations.
In a sample survey, interview questions must have been pre-tested so that they are uniformly and easily understood by a diverse and large number of respondents to capture reliable data.
Unlike government’s Senate or House inquiries held in aid of legislation, research participants are not issued a subpoena to appear before the researcher if they decline the request. Key informants cannot either be held in contempt if they refuse to answer the questions.
Moreover, the researcher may not like the informant’s answer; she may not like how the question is answered; she may not like the content of the answer when the research participant is answering in any way.
The quality of data gathered is analyzed during the processing period, after field and office editing. Quality checking continues throughout the analysis upto the writing of the manuscript.
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