A first in its field, this timely volume effectively bridges the gap between the legal requirements that govern research on minors and the research methodology literature in adolescent psychology. The editors skillfully bring together the insights of a group of leading researchers and scholars to address and resolve the following issues: what theory and research on human development can tell researchers about adolescents' vulnerability to several kinds of risk research and how to reduce that vulnerability; what the law says about young peoples' rights to privacy; how the relevant ethical theory or guidelines should apply to minors approaching adulthood; under what circumstances parental consent does not protect children's rights; and how one explains the research process to a young adult. Social Research on Children and Adolescents reaches a wide audience from professionals in development psychology, family studies, and education to researchers in evaluation, research methods, and sociology to students in the above fields; all will undoubtedly benefit from this book. "Social Research on Children and Adolescents is an invaluable resource for researchers who confront questions such as how to assess risks and benefits within a developmental framework, what legal constraints and ethical principles guide research practice, and how to explain research participation to youth who differ greatly in their comprehension of the enterprise. . . . The major strength of this book, aside from its effective integration of developmental theory and research ethics, is the repeated examination of concrete research problems in light of ethical principles and legal requirements. . . . [This book] will be a useful addition to the library of any social scientist who conducts psychological research with children." --Death Studies

Social scientists are unprepared for many of the ethical problems that arise in their research, and for criticisms of their ethics that seem to ignore such cherished scientific values as objectivity and freedom of inquiry. Yet, they possess method ological talent and insight into human nature that can be used to understand and resolve these problems. The contributors to this book demonstrate that criticism of the ethics of social research can stimulate constructive development of meth odology. Both volumes of The Ethics of Social Research were written for and by social scientists to show how ethical dilemmas arise in the day-to-day conduct of social research and how they can be resolved. The topics discussed in the companion volume include ethical problems that arise in experiments and sample surveys; this book deals with the ethical issues involved in fieldwork and in the regulation and publication of research. With candor and humor, many of the contributors describe lessons they have learned about themselves, their methods, and their research participants. Collectively, they illustrate that both humanists and determinists are likely to encounter ethical dilemmas in their research, albeit different ones, and that a blending of deterministic and humanistic approaches may be needed to solve these dilemmas. The aim of this book is to assist investigators in preparing to meet some of the ethical problems that await the unwary. It offers perspectives, values, and guidelines for anticipating problems and devising solutions."

Social scientists are unprepared for many of the ethical problems that arise in their research, and for criticisms of their ethics that seem to ignore such cherished scientific values as objectivity and freedom of inquiry. Yet, they possess method ological talent and insight into human nature that can be used to understand and resolve these problems. The contributors to this book demonstrate that criticism of the ethics of social research can stimulate constructive development of meth odology. Both volumes of The Ethics of Social Research were written for and by social scientists to show how ethical dilemmas arise in the day-to-day conduct of social research and how they can be resolved. The topics discussed in this book include ethical problems that arise in experiments and sample surveys; the companion volume deals with the ethical issues involved in fieldwork and in the regulation and publication of research. With candor and humor, many of the contributors describe lessons they have learned about themselves, their methods, and their research participants. Collectively, they illustrate that both humanists and detenninists are likely to encounter ethical dilemmas in their research, albeit different ones, and that a blending of detenninistic and humanistic approaches may be needed to solve these dilemmas. The aim of this book is to assist irwestigators in preparing to meet some of the ethical problems that await the unwary. It offers perspectives, values, and guidelines for anticipating problems and devising solutions."

Identifies best practices that may be used to make large sample surveys, particularly the National Crime Victimization Survey, ethically sound and compliant with the Common Rule. The Common Rule sets forth the role and operation of the Institutional Review Board (IRB), the required elements of the research protocol and the informed consent, and general criteria for IRB review and approval. The following practices were examined: risks and benefits of participation in sample surveys that address sensitive topics procedures to protect respondent privacy and assure data confidentiality procedures for minimizing risks and promoting benefits to respondents procedures for responding to a request for help or assistance procedures for responding to revelations of a situation which may be required by statute to be reported to appropriate authorities dangers and safeguards for vulnerable populations efforts to minimize refusals to participate in surveys concerned with sensitive topics survey procedures for informed consent; and effects of signed consent forms on response rates.

"Joan E. Sieber does a good job of giving the reader a brief crash course about the historical context in which ethical concerns in human research arose, subsequent federal regulations, and how IRBs came about and how they work. The author's main purpose, however is to give those involved with social science research the practical knowledge to plan ethically sensitive research; one result of that planning should be that researchers will then have little problem getting their research approved by IRBs. The book achieves that purpose quite well; it deals concretely with basic issues such as privacy and confidentiality, deception, informed consent, assessment of potential research risk and benefits, and problems involving vulnerable populations. . . . The book (also) has a number of features that would make it useful for students as a good addition to a research or an ethics course."

--Contemporary Psychology

"Joan E. Sieber's book merits reading, rereading, and use as a reference guide by students, seasoned researchers, and research ethics committees."

--The Library Quarterly

"The writing style is clear, and the book is logically organized, moving from definitions of terms to an overview of general ethical principles applicable to research with humans. The book is user-friendly and offers many concrete examples as well as exercises, case studies, discussion questions, a protocol checklist, and sample consent and assent forms for use with children. An additional strength of the book is its presentation of a model to identify and weigh risk-related factors in social research."

--Rehabilitation Nursing Research

"This book . . . provide (s) a useful introduction to ethics in research and should serve as a practical handbook for those researchers and members of review boards who need guidance on typical regulations and procedures. This work definitely fills a gap in the literature on research by addressing issues generally not given much attention in research methods textbooks."

--Library and Information Science Research

"Joan E. Sieber successfully challenges researchers to look at ethical issues in social and behavioral research from different angles and brings up points that are often obscure or difficult to assess. She is to be commended for tackling such a difficult, important, and all to often ignored subject."

--Death Studies

One of the most important, yet frustrating, aspects of doing social science research is translating ethical principles, especially those required by federal regulations, into valid research methods and procedures. Planning Ethically Responsible Research guides readers through this labyrinth by providing the practical knowledge needed to plan ethically responsible social and behavioral research. This handy volume offers guidelines in each chapter for satisfying federal regulations governing human research and for working with the university's Institutional Review Board (IRB). The book also includes an abundance of useful tools: an introduction to the IRB protocol in which the investigator describes the research to the IRB, addresses its ethical considerations, and indicates the necessary steps to take to comply with legal and ethical requirements; detailed instructions on development of an effective protocol; methods for handling issues of consent, privacy, confidentiality and deception; ways to assess risk and benefit to optimize research outcomes; and how to respect the needs of vulnerable research populations such as children and the urban poor, including those at risk for HIV infection.

Professionals and students of research methods, evaluation, psychology, sociology, and nursing will not want to miss this insightful addition to research.

Extensively revised and updated to serve today s needs for insight and solutions to the most vexing ethical and regulatory problems faced by researchers today, Planning Ethically Responsible Research, Second Edition guides readers through one of the most important aspects of their social or behavioral research: planning ethically responsible research. Authors Joan E. Sieber and Martin B. Tolich offer invaluable, practical guidance to researchers and graduate students to understand ethical concerns within real-life research situations, satisfy federal regulations governing human research, and work with the university's Institutional Review Board (IRB). The book includes an abundance of useful tools: detailed instructions on development of an effective IRB protocol; methods for handling issues of consent, privacy, confidentiality and deception; ways to assess risk and benefit to optimize research outcomes; and how to respect the needs of vulnerable research populations.

A first in its field, this timely volume effectively bridges the gap between the legal requirements that govern research on minors and the research methodology literature in adolescent psychology. The editors skillfully bring together the insights of a group of leading researchers and scholars to address and resolve the following issues: what theory and research on human development can tell researchers about adolescents' vulnerability to several kinds of risk research and how to reduce that vulnerability; what the law says about young peoples' rights to privacy; how the relevant ethical theory or guidelines should apply to minors approaching adulthood; under what circumstances parental consent does not protect children's rights; and how one explains the research process to a young adult. Social Research on Children and Adolescents reaches a wide audience from professionals in development psychology, family studies, and education to researchers in evaluation, research methods, and sociology to students in the above fields; all will undoubtedly benefit from this book. "Social Research on Children and Adolescents is an invaluable resource for researchers who confront questions such as how to assess risks and benefits within a developmental framework, what legal constraints and ethical principles guide research practice, and how to explain research participation to youth who differ greatly in their comprehension of the enterprise. . . . The major strength of this book, aside from its effective integration of developmental theory and research ethics, is the repeated examination of concrete research problems in light of ethical principles and legal requirements. . . . [This book] will be a useful addition to the library of any social scientist who conducts psychological research with children." --Death Studies