Ethics and the Observer’s Paradox

Abstract

In attempting to provide empirical qualitative data analysis, the researcher has to work within many constraints. There are ethical issues that need to be considered and evaluated in the managing of data, especially one that is naturally occurring. One of the more popular methods of ‘capturing’ this data is through audio recording and to be able to record, prior permission has to be sought. This pre-requisite is in itself a constraint within which a young researcher has to persevere. This research is part of PhD work in progress and relates the many constraints faced and coming to the crossroads between ethics and the observer’s paradox (Labov cited in Kontra and Varadi 1997). This work does no prescribe alternative methods in the recording and collection of data, but highlights the problems that emerged in the process of doing research.