Ethical Challenges and Identifying Your Sample

Describe your sample and how you are obtaining it for your study.

For example, I plan on sending letters to schools in Iowa (principals and guidance counselors) seeking schools that are willing to pilot safe-sex curriculum.  They will have 30 days to respond.  Of those that respond we will randomly select, through a computer program, five schools.  We will randomly select 5 schools that are using the abstinence only curriculum.  Letters will be sent the parents of students that will be participating in sex education in the Fall of 2017.  Students will only be followed if parental permission is received for both the populations.  Of the permission slips received, 100 students from each group will be randomly selected.  The population will consist of 100 students that participate in abstinence only curriculum and do not have accessible contraception and 100 students that participate in the safe sex curriculum and have accessible contraception.  Each participant will be given a number to ensure anonymity and confidentiality throughout the study.

What type of sampling method are you using? Probability or Nonprobability sampling?

For example, mine is a probability sample because I am using simple random sampling.  I am attempting to have a sample that is representative of the teens in Iowa.

Are there any ethical standards that you should be concerned about with your study?

For example, my study is looking at school-aged individuals under the age of 18.  This is an ethical dilemma because they are a vulnerable population children.

What needs to be done to address this ethical concern?

For example, I would need to seek permission from the parents of the children.  I would need to allow withdrawal from the study at any time.

Do you have any of your own feelings about your topic that will limit my ability to carry out the research objectively?

For example, if I were the product of a teen pregnancy, had a teen pregnancy, or my child had a teen pregnancy this may impact my ability to look at this topic objectively.