University of Sussex
Browse
NOVELLA_NCRM_ethics_of_secondary_analysis.pdf (713.78 kB)

The ethics of secondary data analysis: learning from the experience of sharing qualitative data from young people and their families in an international study of childhood poverty

Download (713.78 kB)
report
posted on 2023-06-08, 17:41 authored by Virginia Morrow, Janet BoddyJanet Boddy, Rowena Lamb
This working paper focuses on secondary analysis, an aspect of research practice that is sometimes assumed to pose few ethical challenges. It draws in particular on the experience of a collaborative research project involving secondary analysis of qualitative data collected as part of an ongoing international longitudinal study, Young Lives (www.younglives.org.uk), and sets this alongside a wider review of regulatory guidance on research ethics and academic debates. Secondary analysis can take many forms, and bring many benefits. But it is more ethically complex than regulatory frameworks may imply. Whether or not data are publicly archived, ethical considerations have to be addressed, including responsibilities to participants and the original researchers, and the need to achieve a contextual understanding of the data by identifying and countering risks of misinterpretation. The considerations raised here are intended to aid ethical research practice by supporting planning and reflection – for primary researchers who are planning to archive their data, as well as for researchers embarking on a qualitative secondary analysis. Not least, our experience highlights the importance of developing and maintaining trusting relationships between primary and secondary researchers.

Funding

NOVELLA; ESRC

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Publisher

National Centre for Research Methods

Pages

24.0

Place of publication

Southampton

Department affiliated with

  • Education Publications

Institution

National Centre for Research Methods

Full text available

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2014-07-01

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2016-03-22

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2016-03-22

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC