Method of carrying out research may affect results – how observations and surveys are carried out will impact the actions and replies.
Some projects may have particular ethical considerations that need to be addressed, e.g. when a system is being evaluated by a vulnerable group.
These considerations are in addition to those standard considerations around data collection and processing.
Interpretation of the gathered data has a result on the outcome. Some papers may be rejected not because of how the data was gathered but because of how the data was interpreted.
Approval may be required before project starts e.g. if it will deal with sensitive data.
Generally, when conducting computer research, ethical issues can be addressed by careful consideration of:
- project’s aims
- how data/information will be gathered
- hot data/information will be used in determining results of research and also dissemination of findings
Sometimes project is not suitable for undergraduate project.