3.9.1 Managing ethical and data protection issues
This research produced data on households and individuals and in order to ensure confidentiality this section outlines how the data was managed and how ethical
considerations have been thought-out. Data was entered into a database. Individual records (both for households and for persons) were identified by a code number. In a separate sheet the code numbers were linked to details that can specifically identify names and addresses. Thus the substantive characteristics of individuals and their personal identifiers
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can only be linked through the use of both spread sheets and an access data code. This complies with guidance on data protection.
Due to the fact that much of the work was done from home, there were a number of copies of the dataset. Electronic copies of the data set were stored on a laptop hard drive which remains at home. There were also two disk copies which were also stored at home but were taken back and forth to UWE on occasions. This data was not encrypted but was already anonymous. In addition to the electronic versions, there were also hard copies of the surveys that were stored at the home base. There was activated password protection options within the Windows environment on the computers used.
These procedures were sufficient to maintain confidentiality on relatively non-sensitive data.
There was no discussion on the issue of how long the data is to be kept with respondents nor has there been any discussion on the ways in which respondents might choose to withdraw from the project (taking their data with them). It is however reasonable that the data set could be retained for a number of years after the completion of the PhD given that it is normal to continue to publish material from a PhD thesis (especially one funded by the ESRC) for some years after the completion of the original thesis.
The normal ethical considerations in the conduct of interviews and survey based work applied:
o honesty about their purpose
o the respondent’s right to withdraw from the research
o anonymity of respondents where quotations are used in any report
o Confidentiality of information divulged to the interviewer about individuals.
Although this research is considered low risk it was conducted with the highest standard of scientific integrity and the interests of the participants was safeguarded at all times, taking into account the obligations under the law. I worked as a researcher to develop my
professional competence and worked within my limits. I worked within the framework of the Declaration of Helsinki (2008) to undertake research, which first did no harm. All participants in this research were made fully aware of the uses of their consented information prior to its publication. The research was supervised by experienced researchers. Questionnaires and surveys were circulated to a peer group for approval prior to being used by survey or interview participants. I maintained adequate records but also took all necessary steps to preserve the confidentiality and privacy of participants in the research. I conducted myself in
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a professional manner, which does not damage the participants in the research nor undermine the public confidence in research/ers. This ethical code of conduct for researchers has been adapted from the British Psychological society’s ethical code of conduct (1996).
3.9.2 Piloting the survey
Once the travel to work study areas had been selected a pilot household survey of 200 questionnaires was conducted. The survey was piloted in all of the 5 travel to work areas and was intended to investigate the effectiveness of the questionnaire. The sample was procured from a random sample of electoral ward addresses purchased from the local authorities of Gwynedd and Powys. This was so the results would be representative of the future household survey sample.
The pilot survey revealed information about the respondent’s preferences for answering the various types of questions. This is explored further in subsequent parts of this chapter, but in brief highlighted that closed questions received more responses. The pilot survey also allowed for a brief overview of the expected results of the main survey which highlighted the importance of timing and time frames to the economic activity choices of in-migrants. By conducting the pilot studies a picture emerged of the types of data that could be collected.
The results confirmed that a postal questionnaire was a viable method of obtaining the data required though with the limitations acknowledged below. In summary the pilot study was useful in examining the method chosen; its limitations and its successes. The limitations of the pilot survey were that many respondents did not complete open ended questions, the response rates were only 21% and it was clear the way in which some questions were phrased had proved confusing for respondents. All of these observations were valuable information prior to conducting the full household survey. The success of the pilot survey were that It was useful in gaining experience of preparing a survey, data entry and
conducting limited analysis. It also highlighted that no respondents expressed concern over the fact it was only circulated in English and response rates were consistent across TTWA.
Consultation was conducted with the Welsh Government prior to the release of the full survey where the question of whether to distribute the survey bilingually was considered.
The Welsh Government confirmed that in their experience very few respondents return the surveys in Welsh. They confirmed that in terms of response rates not distributing the survey in Welsh would have little effect. However it is important to acknowledge that not distributing the survey in Welsh may put off some respondents from completing the survey as they may feel that it is discriminatory. The survey not being bilingual may have also not tapped into the
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culture of some rural residents who would not feel capable of completing an English language survey.
The potential for some people to have actively chosen not to respond to the survey because it was not bilingual may have had a small but important impact on the results in that the number of Welsh speakers may be too low. The figure for the numbers of Welsh speakers may actually only reflect all those Welsh speakers who did not feel culturally discriminated by the survey being English language only. Upon receipt of the completed surveys at least 5 respondents noted their disappointment that the survey was not bilingual. Obviously the potential impact that non response of those impacted by the English only distribution is not quantifiable and there is little research detailing the potential impact. Therefore a decision was made to accept that there is some margin for error in the figures given the debate above but that the risk was slim and therefore the impact of the survey being distributed in English language only was negligible on the analysis but an important consideration given the cultural context of the study. The next section outlines how the full household survey was completed and includes information on the sampling frame, survey stratification and analysis of the data. The data from the pilot survey are not included in the main survey analysis.