ABSTRACT
Teaching research methods in the humanities and social sciences necessitates also teaching the fundamentals of applied ethics. Alongside methodological considerations and the debates between qualitative and quantitative research lie the important aspects of social research that have to do with concern for the human condition and our duty as social scientists not to cause harm in the conduct of research in the public domain. While the teaching of research methods traditionally focuses on an understanding of research design; conceptual frameworks; literature review; generation of research questions and hypotheses; methods of data collection; statistical and qualitative analysis; and ways to disseminate findings; attention also needs to be paid to ethical considerations that inform all the parts of the research process. Students who learn about how to conduct research in social sciences also need to gain a clear understanding of a range of ethical issues so that they are well-equipped to engage in industry-based or further academic research postgraduation. By building ethics into the research teaching agenda from the beginning and setting ethics up as the foundation for rigorous and quality research design, students will learn to appreciate the need for careful attention to ethical considerations that will ultimately make them more competent in conducting research in the social sciences environment and more competitive in applying for research grants.
