Ethical Approach to Gathering Survey Data Online

Abstract

Using the Internet to conduct online surveys is not a new form of data collection. A large proportion of marketing analysis or customer surveys are now done online (Burns & Bush, 2006). However the uptake in tertiary education and research has proven to be slower. This could be attributed to the fact that high-visibility institutions such as universities are subject to stringent codes of ethics (Kizza, 2003). This article discusses techniques university researchers may use when implementing an online survey, premised on McNiff, Lomax, and Whitehead’s (2003) action research checklist of ethical considerations.