Ethical practice protects participants and gives your research integrity. Every qualitative study should be built on a few core principles.

Informed consent — participants must understand what the study involves, that participation is voluntary, and that they can withdraw at any time without penalty. Consent should be recorded clearly.

Confidentiality and anonymity — personal information must be protected, and data should usually be anonymised so individuals cannot be identified in any output.

Do no harm — researchers must anticipate and minimise any distress, especially when topics are sensitive. Support information should be available where appropriate.

Data protection — data must be stored securely and handled in line with relevant laws and institutional policies.

Most studies must also gain approval from an ethics committee before any data is collected. Ethics is not a box-ticking exercise at the start; it is an ongoing responsibility throughout the research.

Key idea: Ethical research respects, protects, and never harms participants.