Ethical considerations in sociological research | AQA A-Level Sociology
Updated: 2 days ago
For Specification 7192
AQA A-Level Sociology | Free Revision Notes
Estimated study time:Â 40 minutes
Ethical considerations form an important part of sociological research because decisions about what to investigate and how to investigate it can have ethical implications. AQA requires students to examine how theoretical, practical and ethical considerations influence the choice of research topic, choice of method or methods and the conduct of research.  This Ethical considerations in sociological research A-Level Sociology revision page explains where ethical concerns fit within research design [Research design] and how their importance can be assessed alongside theoretical and practical factors.
Learning Objectives 🎯
By the end of this revision page, you should be able to:
Identify ethical considerations as a required influence on sociological research.
Explain how ethical concerns may influence the choice of research topic.
Explain how ethical considerations may influence the choice of research method or methods.
Explain how ethical concerns may affect the conduct of sociological research.
Apply ethical considerations to unfamiliar research situations.
Assess the significance of ethical concerns alongside theoretical and practical considerations.
These objectives correspond to Lesson 14 in the Research Methods sequence of the supplied AQA A-Level Sociology plan.
Revision Notes đź“š
Ethical considerations in sociological research A-Level Sociology revision: what does AQA require?
Within A-Level Theory and Methods, AQA requires students to examine:
quantitative and qualitative methods of research
research design
questionnaires
interviews
participant and non-participant observation
experiments
documents
official statistics
primary and secondary data
quantitative and qualitative data
the relationship between positivism, interpretivism and sociological methods
theoretical, practical and ethical considerations influencing choice of topic, choice of method(s) and the conduct of research.
Ethical considerations are therefore one of three broad categories of influence on sociological research.
What are ethical considerations?
Within the boundaries of the supplied specification, ethical considerations are ethical issues that may influence decisions about sociological research.
AQA explicitly identifies three areas that they may affect:
choice of topic
choice of method or methods
conduct of research.
What the specification clearly requires is an understanding of how ethical concerns influence research decisions.
The three areas affected by ethical considerations
A useful way to organise this topic is around the three areas explicitly identified by AQA.
Research decision | How ethical considerations may matter |
Choice of topic | Ethical concerns may influence whether or how a particular sociological issue is investigated. |
Choice of method(s) | Ethical issues may influence which research method or methods are selected. |
Conduct of research | Ethical considerations may affect how the investigation is actually carried out. |
đź“Ś Key point:Â Ethics do not become relevant only after a method has been selected. They can affect the research from the initial choice of topic onwards.
Ethical considerations and choice of topic
AQA explicitly requires students to understand that ethical considerations can influence the choice of research topic.
This means that when sociologists decide what to study, they may need to consider more than whether a topic is sociologically interesting.
A useful relationship is:
proposed topic → ethical considerations → research decision
Ethical concerns might influence whether:
the proposed topic is investigated
the research focus is altered
a different research topic is selected.
The specification-supported principle is that ethical concerns can influence what sociologists choose to investigate.
Ethical considerations and choice of method
Ethical considerations can also influence the choice of method or methods.
This links directly to the methods you have studied throughout Research Methods:
questionnaires [Questionnaires]
interviews [Interviews]
participant and non-participant observation [Participant and non-participant observation]
experiments
documents
official statistics.
A sociologist may decide that a particular method could provide useful evidence but still need to consider whether ethical issues affect its suitability.
The decision-making process may therefore look like this:
research purpose → possible method → ethical considerations → methodological choice
This shows why ethics are an integral part of research design [Research design].
Ethical considerations and the conduct of research
AQA also explicitly states that ethical considerations influence the conduct of research.
This means ethical decision-making does not end once a research method has been chosen.
A sociologist must continue to consider ethical concerns while determining how the investigation will actually be carried out.
The relationship can be represented as:
method chosen → ethical issue considered → conduct of research affected
This may mean that aspects of the original research design need to be changed.
📌 Remember: Ethics can affect both which method is selected and how that method is used.
Ethical considerations and research design
Ethical concerns are one element of the wider research design [Research design].
A sociologist needs to consider:
what they want to investigate
what evidence they need
which method or methods might provide that evidence
whether theoretical considerations affect the design
whether practical considerations affect the design
whether ethical considerations affect the design
how the investigation will actually be conducted.
AQA also states that consideration of research design, including its strengths and limitations, should be an integral part of studying Sociology.
This means ethical issues should be considered throughout the research process, not treated as an optional extra.
Ethical considerations and questionnaires
Suppose a sociologist is considering questionnaires [Questionnaires].
The researcher should not evaluate questionnaires only in terms of whether they can produce relevant evidence.
They should also consider:
whether ethical issues affect the use of the method
whether those issues influence the decision to use questionnaires
whether they affect how the questionnaire research is conducted.
The important lesson is the general relationship:
ethical consideration → questionnaire design or choice → conduct of research
Ethical considerations and interviews
The same principle applies to interviews [Interviews].
A sociologist may judge interviews to be potentially useful for a particular research question but still need to consider ethical implications.
Ethical concerns might affect:
whether interviews are selected
how interview research is designed
how the study is conducted.
The precise ethical issues associated with interviews are not listed in the supplied specification.
The specification-supported point is that ethics may influence both methodological choice and research conduct.
Ethical considerations and observation
Ethical considerations are also relevant when a sociologist is considering participant and non-participant observation [Participant and non-participant observation].
The researcher must decide:
whether observation is suitable
whether to participate in the setting or remain separate
whether ethical considerations affect that choice
whether ethical concerns affect how the observation is carried out.
Because participant and non-participant observation involve different researcher roles, ethical considerations may form part of the decision between them.
Ethical considerations and experiments
AQA also lists experiments as a required source of sociological data.
When considering experiments [Experiments], ethical concerns may influence:
whether an experimental method is chosen
how the experimental research is designed
how it is conducted.
Again, the supplied specification does not list experiment-specific ethical issues.
The key methodological principle remains:
A method that appears suitable for a research question must still be considered in relation to ethical issues.
Ethical considerations and documents or official statistics
Ethical considerations form part of the overall methodological framework regardless of the particular source of sociological evidence being considered.
This includes:
documents [Documents]
official statistics.
The general requirement is to recognise that ethical considerations may influence research topic, method and conduct.
Ethical considerations and primary data
Your earlier work on primary and secondary data [Primary and secondary data] is relevant here.
When sociologists collect primary data, they are organising first-hand evidence collection for the particular investigation.
Ethical considerations may therefore form part of the decisions surrounding how that collection is planned and conducted.
However, it is important to keep the concepts separate:
primary data concerns where evidence comes from
ethical considerations concern ethical issues affecting the research.
One does not automatically determine the other.
Ethical considerations and secondary data
The same principle applies when researchers use existing secondary evidence.
Secondary data identify evidence that already exists in relation to the sociologist's investigation.
Ethics is a separate methodological issue.
You should therefore avoid simplistic rules such as:
"Primary data have ethical issues but secondary data do not."
The supplied specification does not support such a claim.
Ethical considerations are part of the wider research process and should be assessed according to the particular investigation.
Ethical considerations are not practical considerations
The previous lesson examined practical considerations in sociological research [Practical considerations in sociological research].
AQA treats ethical and practical factors as separate categories.
A practical issue concerns whether and how an investigation can realistically be carried out.
An ethical issue concerns the ethical implications of the research.
These can potentially lead to the same outcome, such as a researcher changing a method, but they do so for different reasons.
đź“Ś Exam tip:Â If a question asks specifically about ethical considerations, do not simply give a practical problem and label it ethical.
Ethical considerations are not theoretical considerations
Likewise, theoretical considerations in sociological research [Theoretical considerations in sociological research] form a separate category.
A theoretical consideration concerns sociological theoretical ideas that may influence methodological choices.
An ethical consideration concerns ethical concerns involved in researching social life.
AQA nevertheless states that all three categories may influence the same areas:
topic
method
conduct.
This is why they need to be distinguished but also evaluated together.
Comparing theoretical, practical and ethical considerations
Consideration | May affect topic? | May affect method(s)? | May affect conduct? |
Theoretical | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Practical | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Ethical | Yes | Yes | Yes |
This comparison reflects the wording of the AQA specification.
None of the three categories is described by AQA as universally more important than the others.
Their relative significance must therefore be considered in relation to the particular sociological investigation.
Applying ethical considerations to a research situation
Imagine a sociologist wants to investigate people's experiences of an aspect of contemporary UK society.
This is an illustrative scenario, not evidence from a real sociological study.
The researcher needs to consider:
1. The proposed topic
Are there ethical considerations connected with investigating this particular issue?
2. The proposed method
Could ethical considerations affect whether questionnaires, interviews, observation or another method are selected?
3. The conduct of research
Could ethical concerns require changes to the way the chosen method is carried out?
4. Alternative methods
Would another research design address the research question while creating different ethical considerations?
5. Other methodological factors
How do practical and theoretical considerations affect the same decision?
This approach demonstrates that ethics is part of a connected research-design process.
Ethical concerns may change the original research plan
Because AQA says ethics can influence topic, methods and conduct, ethical considerations may cause the research design to change.
A useful sequence is:
original proposal → ethical consideration → revised research decision
The change might concern:
the research topic
the method selected
how the method is used
the wider conduct of the investigation.
The specification does not specify the particular ethical problems that could lead to each change.
The key point is that ethical concerns can have practical consequences for how sociological research is designed and conducted.
Assessing the relationship between ethics and research conduct
The third learning objective requires you to assess the relationship between ethical concerns and the conduct of research.
A strong assessment should recognise several points.
Ethical concerns may affect research throughout the investigation
Because AQA explicitly identifies the conduct of research, ethics is not simply a planning-stage issue.
Ethical considerations may remain relevant as research is carried out.
Ethical considerations may require methodological decisions
Ethics may affect whether a method is used and how it is used.
This means ethics and methodology are closely connected.
Ethical concerns are only one influence
The conduct of research may also be influenced by:
theoretical considerations
practical considerations.
Therefore, an ethical solution cannot be assessed independently of the rest of the research design.
A balanced judgement
A specification-supported judgement is:
Ethical considerations can have a significant influence on sociological research because they may affect the topic, method and conduct of an investigation. However, researchers must consider ethical concerns alongside theoretical and practical factors, so the effect of ethics depends on the circumstances of the particular research project.
Can ethical and practical considerations conflict?
The specification does not describe particular conflicts, but because both categories can influence the same research decisions, a sociologist may need to consider them together.
For example, a proposed change to a research design may need to be considered in terms of:
its ethical implications
its practical consequences
its theoretical suitability.
AQA does not provide a rule for which category should automatically take priority.
Therefore, evaluation should focus on the specific research context.
Can ethical and theoretical considerations conflict?
However, AQA establishes that both theoretical and ethical considerations can influence:
topic
method
conduct.
This means methodological choices may involve several different considerations at the same time.
This becomes particularly important later when studying the relationship between theory and methods [The relationship between theory and methods].
Ethics and Methods in Context
AQA requires students to apply sociological research methods specifically to the study of education.
Ethical considerations may therefore need to be applied to educational research situations.
In a Methods in Context answer, simply writing:
"There could be ethical issues"
would show little application.
Instead, identify:
the group being researched
the educational setting
the proposed method
how the ethical consideration could affect the research.
💡 Exam tip: The strongest application explains the consequence of the ethical concern for the particular investigation.
How to develop an ethical point in an exam
Use this chain:
ethical issue → research decision → effect on conduct → consequence for usefulness
For example:
An ethical consideration may affect whether the researcher can conduct the proposed method in the intended way. If the research design needs to be changed to address the ethical concern, this could alter the way evidence is obtained. The sociologist therefore needs to consider ethics alongside the purpose of the investigation.
This shows more methodological understanding than simply naming "ethics".
How to evaluate ethical considerations
A useful evaluation structure is:
Point
Explain that an ethical consideration affects the research.
Application
Link it directly to the topic, participants, setting or method in the question.
Consequence
Explain how the concern could alter the choice or conduct of research.
Comparison
Consider whether practical or theoretical issues also affect the decision.
Judgement
Assess how significant the ethical concern is within the wider research design.
đź“Ś Remember:Â "Ethics are important" is not an evaluation. Explain why they are important for this investigation and how far they affect what the sociologist can do.
Ethical considerations and the assessment objectives
AQA assesses:
AO1:Â knowledge and understanding of sociological theories, concepts, evidence and research methods
AO2:Â application of sociological theories, concepts, evidence and research methods to a range of issues
AO3:Â analysis and evaluation in order to present arguments, make judgements and draw conclusions.
For this lesson:
AO1
Know that ethical considerations may influence:
topic
method or methods
conduct of research.
AO2
Apply ethical concerns to the particular sociological investigation described.
AO3
Analyse their effects on research decisions and assess their importance alongside practical and theoretical considerations.
A useful progression is:
identify → explain → apply → consequence → assess
Key Words 🔑
Key word | Student-friendly definition | How it may be used in an exam |
Ethical considerations | Ethical issues that may influence the topic, methods and conduct of sociological research. | Explain why ethical concerns can affect a research design. |
Research design | The planning of how sociological research will be carried out. | Show how ethical issues form part of wider research decisions. |
Choice of topic | The decision about what sociological issue will be investigated. | Explain how ethical concerns may influence what a sociologist chooses to study. |
Choice of method | The decision about which research method or methods will be used. | Explain how ethical issues may make one research approach more or less suitable. |
Conduct of research | How the sociological investigation is actually carried out. | Assess how ethical concerns may alter a researcher's original plan. |
Research method | An approach used to obtain or use sociological evidence. | Apply ethical considerations to questionnaires, interviews, observation or other methods. |
Theoretical considerations | Theoretical factors influencing research decisions and conduct. | Compare theoretical influences with ethical ones. |
Practical considerations | Practical factors or constraints affecting sociological research. | Assess ethical concerns alongside whether the proposed research is workable. |
Primary data | Data collected first-hand for the particular investigation. | Distinguish the source of evidence from ethical issues affecting its collection. |
Hints from the Examiner Reports đź’ˇ
The specification itself makes clear that research methods are assessed through knowledge and understanding, application, analysis and evaluation.
For ethical considerations, practise explaining the whole chain:
ethical concern → effect on topic/method/conduct → consequence for the investigation
rather than simply naming ethics as an issue.
Common Mistakes ⚠️
Mistake: Saying ethics only matter once research begins
Why this is incorrect: AQA states that ethical considerations can influence the choice of topic and method, as well as the conduct of research.
How to improve: Think about ethics from the beginning of the research-design process.
Mistake: Saying ethics only affect participants
Why this is incorrect: The specification's requirement is broader. Ethical considerations may affect the topic, methodological choice and overall conduct of research.
How to improve: Always explain the effect of the ethical issue on the research decision.
Mistake: Confusing an ethical issue with a practical issue
Why this is incorrect: AQA treats practical and ethical considerations separately.
How to improve: Ask:
Is this primarily an issue about ethical acceptability, or about whether the investigation can practically be carried out?
Mistake: Confusing theoretical and ethical considerations
Why this is incorrect: Theoretical considerations concern sociological theory, while ethical considerations concern ethical issues within the research.
How to improve: Classify the consideration before applying it.
Mistake: Naming an ethical issue without explaining what it changes
Why this is incorrect: This does not demonstrate how ethics influence sociological research.
How to improve: Use:
ethical concern → effect on topic/method/conduct → consequence
Mistake: Assuming ethical considerations always determine the final method
Why this is incorrect: AQA also requires practical and theoretical considerations.
How to improve: Assess ethics as one important part of a wider research design.
Mistake: Giving generic ethical points in an applied question
Why this is incorrect: AO2 requires application to the research situation.
How to improve:
Connect your point directly to:
the research topic
the social group
the setting
the method being proposed.
Mistake: Inventing a named ethics checklist from the specification
Why this is incorrect: The supplied specification requires ethical considerations but does not list individual ethical principles.
How to improve: Use approved substantive course materials before learning named ethical considerations.
Exam-Style Questions ✍️
Question 1
Identify the three aspects of sociological research that AQA states may be influenced by ethical considerations. (3 marks)
Question 2
Identify the three broad categories of consideration that may influence the choice and conduct of sociological research. (3 marks)
Question 3
Explain one way in which ethical considerations may influence the choice of research topic. (4 marks)
Question 4
A sociologist is deciding whether to use questionnaires, interviews or observation to investigate an aspect of contemporary UK society.
Explain how ethical considerations may influence the researcher's choice of method. (4 marks)
Question 5
Explain why ethical considerations may continue to influence research after a method has been selected. (4 marks)
Question 6
A sociologist is planning research into pupils' experiences of education.
Explain two ways in which ethical considerations could affect the research design. (6 marks)
Question 7
Explain why ethical concerns should be considered alongside theoretical and practical considerations when sociologists conduct research. (6 marks)
Question 8
Assess the significance of ethical considerations for the conduct of sociological research. (10 marks)
Answers and mark scheme
Question 1: Areas affected by ethics (3 marks)
Award one mark for each:
choice of topic
choice of method or methods
conduct of research.
Question 2: Categories of consideration (3 marks)
Award one mark for each:
theoretical
practical
ethical.
Question 3: Choice of topic (4 marks)
Credit answers explaining that:
ethical considerations are one influence identified by AQA
they may arise before data collection begins
ethical concerns may affect whether or how a proposed topic is investigated
this may change the researcher's original research design.
Example answer:
Ethical considerations can influence the choice of topic because a sociologist needs to consider the ethical implications of the proposed investigation before carrying it out. If ethical concerns affect the proposed study, the researcher may need to change its focus or reconsider the topic, so ethics can influence research from the planning stage.
Question 4: Choice of method (4 marks)
Credit answers explaining that:
ethical considerations may influence method choice
the researcher must consider whether ethical issues affect a proposed questionnaire, interview or observational design
an ethical concern may make one method less appropriate
the researcher may therefore alter the method or select an alternative.
Example answer:
A sociologist may identify several methods that could produce relevant evidence, but ethical considerations can affect which is selected. If ethical concerns arise from the way a proposed method would need to be conducted, the researcher may alter the design or choose another method.
Question 5: Conduct of research (4 marks)
Credit answers recognising that:
AQA explicitly states that ethics can influence the conduct of research
ethical issues do not disappear after method selection
they may affect how the chosen investigation is carried out
the researcher may need to modify the original design.
Example answer:
Ethical considerations remain important after a method has been selected because AQA states that they can influence the conduct of research. The sociologist may therefore need to change how the method is used if ethical concerns arise, meaning ethical decision-making can continue throughout the investigation.
Question 6: Researching pupils' experiences (6 marks)
Award credit for two developed applications.
Possible specification-supported areas include:
ethics influencing whether or how the proposed educational topic is investigated
ethics influencing the choice between methods
ethics influencing how the chosen research is conducted
the effect of ethical concerns on the overall research design.
A stronger answer applies each point directly to researching pupils' experiences.
Example answer:
One influence could be the choice of method. The sociologist would need to consider whether ethical issues affect the proposed way of researching pupils, which could lead to a different method being selected. Ethical considerations could also influence the conduct of the study because the researcher may need to alter the original design if ethical concerns affect how the research can be carried out.
Question 7: Ethics, theory and practical considerations (6 marks)
A strong response should explain that:
AQA identifies all three categories
each can influence topic, methods and conduct
ethical issues may affect whether and how research is carried out
theoretical considerations may also influence methodological choices
practical considerations may affect whether a design can be carried out
researchers therefore need to consider these factors together rather than assuming one always determines the research.
Example answer:
Ethical considerations can influence whether and how a research method is used, but they are not the only influence on sociological research. AQA also requires theoretical and practical considerations. A design may therefore need to satisfy different methodological concerns at the same time, so ethical issues should be assessed within the wider research design rather than in isolation.
Question 8: Assess ethical considerations (10 marks)
A strong response should explain the influence of ethics and develop a balanced assessment.
Relevant supported content includes:
ethical considerations may influence choice of topic
ethical considerations may influence choice of method or methods
ethical considerations may influence the conduct of research
ethical concerns may therefore affect several stages of a research project
ethical issues can lead researchers to reconsider or alter a proposed design
ethical considerations remain relevant after a method has been selected
ethical concerns form part of wider research design
theoretical considerations may also influence topic, method and conduct
practical considerations may also influence topic, method and conduct
AQA does not identify ethical considerations as automatically more important than other factors
their significance depends on the particular sociological investigation
a justified conclusion should assess ethics within the wider methodological context.
Example concluding judgement:
Ethical considerations can be highly significant because they may influence what sociologists investigate, which methods they choose and how the research is carried out. Their effects can therefore extend throughout the research process. However, ethical concerns are not the only influence on research because theoretical and practical considerations may affect the same decisions. The importance of ethics therefore needs to be assessed within the overall design and circumstances of the particular sociological investigation.
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