Monday, November 23, 2015

Data Collection Problems and Resolutions 1


Things happen in the real world when you are conducting a study, as the researcher it is your responsibility to both recognize the issue and resolve it. Over the next few posts, I will discuss some of the most common issues that may arise. 

Confidentiality breach. Imagine that you are doing a program evaluation. You will survey participants before the program begins and again after the program. In order to match each person’s pre and post program survey, you will have them write their names on each form. Somehow during the data collection a few surveys get left behind. This is a breach of confidentiality. Someone else could see the responses and know who wrote them. In a program setting, that may not seem a serious offense, but consider if it was one’s supervisor that saw a derogatory comment about him or herself. 

What to do? First, as soon as the loss is realized, get the surveys back in your possession. Second, report the breach to your committee and the IRB. They may want you to notify the individuals involved, but let them make that decision. You also may want to consider not using names in studies, instead ask people to pick a number or phrase that they will enter on the pre survey and remember for the post survey.
Next time, we will give thanks. Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Send me an email with your ideas. leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu

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