Preamble

I have assembled this code of ethical conduct to guide research in online interviews. Given that culture is an ever changing field of inquiry and study, it is necessary that the methodology of fieldwork, whether virtual or not, be done with a focus on sensitivities of informants and the situations research as whole presents to them as they contribute. How we collect, store, and disseminate information through online interviews must first be reconciled with the understanding of security, comfort, and the personal impact on those being interviewed.

1) Before conducting online interviews one must ensure that consent has been given and that a full understanding of what the interview can entail is presented to the informant. All risks must be accessed by the researcher and conveyed in a manner understandable to the informant. Among risks, the informant must be briefed about all rights in regards to anonymity and that as researchers we are obligated to be cooperative with law enforcement if an occasion arises ordering the researcher to surrender their notes, which will be coded to the best of the researcher’s ability.
2) Before any interviewing begins online the researcher must assess all biases one might have in regards to the group being studied in virtual forums. The disconnect of physical presence can have an emboldening effect on subjects and researchers alike. Therefore, the researcher is required before any interviewing begins to over emphasize to themselves the importance of self assessment before the gathering of data can begin.
3) Ensure that the comfortability of the informant is taken into account, as online interviews will often be conducted outside of either the researcher or informants time zone. With this in consideration ensure that the questions ease into complexity and don’t abruptly begin with them

Wyatt Huber 06/25/2020 Prof. Fogarty-Valenzuela

and try to limit interviews in time, preferably anywhere from 20-30 minutes. This is especially true if discomfort stems from issues revolving around the use of the online format, including but not limited to: time zones, screen fatigue, content of interview etc.
4) Information attainable in person can be lost through an online format, thus it is important to be attentive to what the informants have said and to ensure it still is on track for the purposes of one’s research. Summarize the information given to you as you progress through the interview to ensure that you as the interviewer are correctly interpreting the data and that the informant is still focused on the subject at hand.

5) When conducting online interviews be sure to conclude the interview by disclosing what you intend to use the gathered information for, if not already made clear earlier, and ask the informant if there is anything pertinent that was left out of the interview that they are willing to share before the interview concludes.