Ethics in sport and exercise research: from research ethics committees to ethics in the field

Ethical conduct is an essential part of all research. For researchers undertaking qualitative research projects, the processes and practices of ethical conduct are often understood and applied quite differently from those undertaking quantitative research. Taking the idea of an “ethical chain” as its point of departure, this chapter explores some of the ethical considerations that may accompany what Guillemin and Gillam refer to as “procedural ethics”; that is, “the ethical rules and guidelines monitored and approved by ethics committees,” as well as “ethics in practice” (2004, p. 263). As part of thinking about ethics as process, the chapter also highlights some of the practical realities and potential pitfalls that qualitative researchers may encounter when undertaking fieldwork (i.e., interviews, participant-observation and ethnographic research) in sport and exercise-based settings.