Code on Safe Research Practice

Guidance notes for students undertaking data collection at private addresses or insecure locations

In order to protect both student researchers and potential research participants the following guidance is issued to undertake some safety precautions if data are being collected at a private address or some other location such as a hotel lobby, café, pub or at night.

1. Arranging to collect data at someone’s home or other potentially insecure location is only to be considered if the person’s office or a University room is not convenient or appropriate.
2. If you are collecting data from such a location and have any concerns then

• Document all the names and addresses and the time you anticipate arriving at the location
• Arrange for someone who reliably will be able to answer a telephone to log your time of arrival and time of departure from the address
• Phone your contact just before you begin your data collection
• Explain to your interviewee that the University requires as a matter of routine you log your time of arrival and time of departure from an address and that failure to do so will result in a call to the police
• Phone your contact when you leave the address
• In the unlikely eventuality of any problems arrange a code word with your contact so that if you are able to phone the code will alert your contact for the need to phone the police
• If your contact does not hear from you after the estimated time of your interview, instruct them to wait half an hour and then phone you.
• If they are unable to reach you then instruct them that they must call the police.

These arrangements are for your safety and it is your responsibility to

• Arrange a reliable contact person
• Ensure you phone as arranged
• Make sure your mobile is fully charged
• Get to a land line if for any reason your mobile is not working

If there is any concern about your safety, then your contact will notify the police. Therefore it is essential that you abide by the arrangements so that any call to the police will not be because you have forgotten to call in or fail to notify your contact of any changes in your arrangements.