Survey research is an invaluable tool for gathering data and insights from a large group of people.
Whether you’re conducting market research, collecting customer feedback, or studying public opinion on a certain issue, surveys can provide valuable information that would otherwise be difficult to obtain.
However, when it comes to survey research, there are several ethical considerations that must be taken into account in order to ensure the data is collected responsibly and without compromising the rights of participants.
In this article we’ll explore some of these ethical considerations and offer best practices for mitigating any potential issues.
Ethical Considerations Before Creating a Survey
Before creating any survey, it’s important to consider the ethical implications of your research and design a survey that respects the rights of participants.
1. Consider Your Ethical Code
Depending on the niche or industry that you’re representing, you likely have a unique code of ethics that you operate with. The same goes for when you are administering surveys.
One example of this is any human-driven field in which many surveyors operate using the National Institute of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases guidelines for working with human subjects.
The Association for Public Opinion Research has also published a code of standards and ethics titled the Code of Professional Ethics and Practices that relate to the broad practice of public research.
2. Analyze Laws
In the case of healthcare, there are rigid laws that accompany the collection, analysis, and disclosure of medical data, most notably HIPPA, or Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
In the case of legal data, attorney-client privilege applies and needs to be kept in mind when running surveys to collect data.
Tying unique industry-specific laws into overarching policies like privacy laws unique to countries and states, survey collections being to get tricky.
Before you start with a survey, especially one addressing sensitive issues or one that is gathering identifying information, always look at the laws.
3. Consider Participant Recruitment
Consider how participants are recruited for your survey.
It should be done in a way that is fair and transparent, allowing potential respondents the opportunity to make an informed decision about participating or not.
Whenever possible, it’s best to provide as much detail about the survey as you can upfront so that there is no confusion as to what they are agreeing to.
When outlining ethics in participant recruitment, don’t forget to consider how robust, representative data is crucial for survey success.
The process traces back to the initial participant recruitment. Some questions to ask include whether the recruitment pool is representative of the population, your own personal biases, and more.
Additional Reading: Survey Bias: What It Is and How to Prevent It
Ethical Practices to Follow When Running Surveys
While ethical practices can depend on the nature of your survey, we’ve rounded up a few blanket best practices to maintain the integrity of your survey.
Slight variations, such as how to protect data virtually versus on paper surveys should be carefully considered when creating a survey.
1. Obtaining Informed Consent from Participants
Informed consent is a crucial ethical practice that should always be adhered to when conducting survey research.
The process involves obtaining explicit permission from participants before collecting any data or information from them.
Make sure to inform participants of the purpose and goals of the survey and how their responses will be used.
2. Ensure All Responses Are Anonymous and Confidential
Making sure that responses are anonymized and kept confidential is another key ethical practice to follow when conducting survey research.
Whichever method is chosen for confidentiality, the goal is that the data should not be linked or traceable back to any individual participant.
3. Outline the Purpose of the Survey
When creating a survey, you’ll want to clearly outline the purpose and goals of the survey so that participants know exactly what they are agreeing to.
Outlining your survey’s purpose will help ensure that the data collected is not misleading or deceptive in nature.
4. Avoid Questions That Could Be Considered Discriminatory
Discriminatory questions should be avoided at all costs when creating a survey. This includes questions that could be viewed as offensive, intrusive, or otherwise discriminatory in nature.
5. Keep All Collected Data Secure and Encrypted to Prevent Unauthorized Access
Surveyors need to ensure that the data collected is kept secure and encrypted to prevent any unauthorized access or use.
Properly securing data includes using strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and other security measures to protect the data from potential breaches.
6. Respect Participant Privacy by Limiting Access
Personal information, such as name and email address, should only be collected if necessary for the survey. It is important to respect participant privacy by not collecting any more personal data than is absolutely needed.
7. Explain Any Terms and Conditions Associated with Participating in the Survey
Another step is to carefully explain clear and concise terms and conditions in the survey’s Terms of Service that outline the rights, expectations, and responsibilities of both the survey participants and the researchers.
These should include:
- A statement clarifying that participation in the survey is voluntary, any personal data collected will be kept confidential, and that the results of the survey will be used only for the purpose outlined.
- A description of how data is stored and protected, including any encryption protocols or security measures in place.
- A statement indicating who will have access to the data collected, such as researchers, sponsors, or other parties involved with the survey.
- A statement outlining any potential risks associated with the survey, such as potential data breaches or other security risks.
8. Provide an Easy Way for Participants to Opt-out Any Time
The survey should also provide an easy way for participants to opt out of the survey at any time. Proper opt-out options can be as easy as providing a link or form field where participants can indicate their wish not to participate in the survey.
9. Clearly Communicate When & How Results Will Be Reported
You’ll want to be transparent about when and how the results of the survey will be reported back to participants.
Options for this step include providing a timeline for when the results are expected to be available, as well as outlining any potential risks associated with participating in the survey (such as data breaches).
10. Disclose Any Potential Risks Involved with Taking Part in a Survey (Specifically the Current Survey)
Also, be sure to disclose any potential risks that could be involved with taking part in the survey. Risks can be far-ranging, but they may include serious problems like data breaches or other security issues.
11. Protecting Transmitted Data
In addition to the measures outlined above, surveyors should focus on participant privacy and data security are both protected throughout the survey process.
This includes measures such as using secure encryption protocols for the transmission of any collected data, and conducting regular security checks on systems and software used to store or manage data when transmitting data during the survey process.
You can check out our complete guide on protecting participant data privacy here.
Best Practices for Mitigating Potential Ethical Issues in Survey Research
Setting up a survey from the start that tackles common ethical issues and more importantly, helps to prevent them is a great approach to keeping your business successful. Here are a few steps for starting a survey off on the right foot.
1. Explain the purpose of the survey: Terms and conditions should clearly define the reason for conducting a survey and how it will be used so participants understand why their data is being collected.
2. Outline any personal information that will be required: This includes informing participants if they need to provide any personal information, such as name or email address, in order to participate in a survey.
3. Specify how long participant responses are kept: Terms and conditions should explain how long participant data is stored in case further analysis needs to be done with the results at a later date.
4. Explain who has access to collected data: The terms and conditions should inform participants about who has access to the collected data, including what third parties may have access (if applicable).
5. Provide an opt-out option from receiving future surveys or notifications: Participants should always have an option of opting out from receiving future surveys or other communications related to the particular research project at-hand if desired by them.
6. Indicate when changes may occur without prior notice: To prevent confusion or frustration, terms and conditions should indicate when changes may occur without prior notice due to external factors (e..g., government regulations) outside of the researcher’s control.
Post Survey Ethical Tips
Adhering to ethical guidelines is essential when conducting any type of survey research.
Not only can it ensure that participants’ rights are respected, but it can also help to protect the integrity of the data collected and prevent potential legal issues that could arise from unethical practices.
As a researcher, you should always take into account the ethical considerations you must address when designing and conducting a survey.
However, ethical practices do not end once a survey is sent out or during data collection. The processing of data post-survey, including the compilation of results for the public, must also be ethical.
Presenting Results
When presenting survey results, surveyors need to adhere to ethical protocols for data collection and protection.
Above all else, the collected data must be kept secure, and surveyors should always make sure that participants’ rights are respected.
It is also important to ensure that the data is not manipulated or used in a way that violates the trust of those who have taken part in the survey.
The results of the survey should be reported honestly and accurately, without any attempts to manipulate the data or draw false conclusions.
Regardless of the scope of the project, surveyors need to be careful to avoid any data from a survey being linked back to participants.
Stripping back the data as much as possible while still telling a complete story is a delicate balance, but the number one priority should be to protect participants.
Data Sharing
Similarly, sharing of data needs to be regulated carefully. In some cases, it may be necessary to share collected survey data with other researchers or organizations (e.g., for research collaborations).
When sharing participant data, it is essential that participants’ privacy is protected and that data is securely stored.
It may also be necessary to inform participants of who will have access to their data and the purpose for which it will be used.
Conclusion
Survey research is an important tool for gathering valuable insights into customer behavior and opinion.
However, it’s essential to adhere to a set of ethical guidelines when conducting this type of research in order to ensure that the rights of participants are respected and any data collected remains secure.
By following best practices, surveyors can be sure your surveys remain compliant with relevant regulations while helping you get closer to understanding your customers better.
FAQ
Q: What is informed consent?
A: Informed consent is a process wherein a participant must be made aware of what they are agreeing to when taking part in research — specifically, that they are aware of the purpose of the research, any risks associated with being a part of it, and what their rights are as a participant. Informed consent forms should be provided to participants prior to taking part in a survey.
Q: How can I ensure data security when conducting survey research?
A: It is essential to ensure data security when conducting survey research. This can be done by utilizing secure encryption protocols for the transmission of collected data, regularly checking the security of systems and software used to store or manage data, and ensuring no unauthorized access is allowed.
Q: What are the potential risks associated with taking part in a survey?
A: Potential risks associated with taking part in a survey include having personal information used for other purposes without permission, being subject to unwanted contact from researchers or third parties, or feeling uncomfortable sharing certain types of information.
Q: How long should participant data be stored?
A: Participant data should generally be stored in line with any relevant regulations or industry standards, as well as the purpose of the research. In some cases, it may need to be stored for several years in order to comply with various regulations or industry standards. In other cases, it may not need to be stored beyond the duration of the research project.