Statement of Professional Ethics
All interviewers and other employees of the
Social and
Social and Economic
The rights of human subjects are a matter of
primary concern to the Center. All study
procedures are reviewed to ensure that individual respondents are protected at
each stage of research. While it is the
Center’s policy to disseminate research results, the utmost care is taken to
ensure that no data are released that would permit any respondent to be
identified. All information that links
a specific respondent to a particular interview is separated from the interview
and put into special, secure files as soon as the interview is received and
logged in at the Center. The interviews
themselves are identified only by numbers.
Interviewer Obligations
The only acceptable role for an interview is
that of a professional researcher. To
depart from this role may introduce bias and compromise research
objectives. In no case is an interviewer
to attempt to counsel a respondent or sell any goods or services to a
respondent or enter into any but a professional relationship with a
respondent. If asked for help by a
respondent, interviewers must limit themselves to providing the names of
regular, recognized agencies and are to do this only when such information or
help is specifically requested by the respondent. By the same token, no interviewer should ever
ask for advice or counseling from a respondent or in any way exploit the
research situation for personal advantage.
The respondent protection procedures observed
by the Center will be undermined if interviewers do not maintain professional
ethical standards of confidentiality regarding what they learn from or about
respondents. All information obtained
during the course of the research which concerns respondents, their families,
or the organizations they represent, is privileged information whether it
relates to the interview itself or is extraneous information leaned by
interviewers during the performance of their work.
We have an obligation to respondents to keep
their interviews confidential. We feel very
strongly that this obligation should be honored. Therefore, please do not tell anyone the
substance of any interview or part of an interview, no matter how fascinating
or interesting it was. Also, please
avoid giving your own summary of findings.
Just because 90% of your respondents feel a certain way does not mean
that 90% of everyone else feels the same way.
Confidentiality is essential. Please help us maintain the reputation we
have established for protecting anonymity of respondents, and honestly
analyzing and reporting data. If you
want a copy of results from this survey, let the supervisor know and we will be
sure you get them just as soon as they are available.
Pledge of
Confidentiality
The Social and Economic Sciences Research
Center of Washington State University promises respondents that data will be
kept completely confidential. We feel
this obligation strongly and ask that all of our employees read the Statement
of Professional Ethics and sign a Pledge of Confidentiality. Please read the statement on the back of this
page carefully and sign this sheet to indicate that you understand and pledge
to uphold the Center’s policy of confidentiality.
Please sign your name and the date and
print your name on the lines below.
Signature
Date
____________________________________________ ______________
(PLEASE PRINT)
First Name Last Name