Based on the Williams (2012) article:
Describe two (2) information technology concepts from the article that could impact evidence in a positive or negative way
Please provide two peer reviewed sources. No title page needed
Discussion Post
When collecting evidence, researchers experience challenges relating to the need to maintain the confidentiality of participants’ information. While they might have safeguards to ensure data confidentiality, such as withholding identification information during the data collection process, they might fail to convince participants regarding their personal data safety. The information technology concept affects evidence negatively due to the possibility of participants withholding critical information for the fear that it might be disclosed (Surmiak, 2018). For example, in a healthcare-based research question, patients participating might refuse to give vital information due to the fear that third parties might access it. As a result, the researcher might lack critical information to provide evidence to support practice, such as medical or nursing interventions. Since such studies are necessary, researchers should ensure confidentiality when collecting evidence, such as leaving out a patient name or any other identifying information when collecting data.
Another concept that emerges in the article that affects evidence is anonymity in an internet research. Anonymity is an ethical issue in research over the internet. Anonymity suggests the quality of the internet or online environment that allows people to communicate or interact without revealing their identity (St John et al., 2016). Anonymity has a positive impact on evidence since it will enable people to provide detailed information without being afraid of identification. Researchers can take advantage of anonymity to collect as much information as they require to understand a phenomenon or answer a research question. Although the concept is an ethical issue, its impact on evidence depends on how the researcher uses it. Nevertheless, people are likely to share detailed information when their identity is anonymous.
References
Surmiak, A. D. (2018, September). Confidentiality in Qualitative Research Involving Vulnerable Participants: Researchers’ Perspectives. In Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research (Vol. 19, No. 3).
St John, F., Brockington, D., Bunnefeld, N., Duffy, R., Homewood, K., Jones, J. P., … & Razafimanahaka, J. (2016). Research Ethics: Assuring Anonymity at the Individual Level may not be sufficient to Protect Research Participants from Harm. Biological Conservation