Go to the American Sociological Association web site at http://www.asanet.org/ and locate the ASA’s code of ethics. Read over the code of ethics and then address the following research situations, which deal with the topic of ethical issues in social research (related to TCOs 2 and 9). You can also consult with the “Ethics in Social Science Research” document under Doc Sharing. Write your answers in narrative form, in a 2-3 page paper. In your responses, be sure to refer to the ASA code of ethics or “Ethics in Social Science Research” document. Papers should be in APA format, which requires a title page, double spacing, and a reference page. This assignment is worth a possible 75 points.
Consider the following research situations. What is the ethical component in each example? How do you feel about it? Do you think the procedures described are ultimately acceptable or unacceptable?
A researcher studying dorm life on campus discovers that 60 percent of the residents regularly violate restrictions on alcohol consumption. Publication of the finding would probably create a furor in the campus community. Because no extensive analysis of alcohol use is planned, the researcher decides to keep his findings quiet. [35 pts]
A research questionnaire is circulated among students as part of their university registration packet. Although students are not told they must complete the questionnaire, the hope is that they will believe they must—thus ensuring a higher completion rate. [40 pts]