Dissemination of research findings is ethical

trueBy Sylvia Nakalema

World over, research is a foundation of any development, be it policy formulation or implementation.

This means that various communities are considered key during problem identification and definition through baseline surveys, needs assessment, feasibility studies at all levels including individual, national, regional or international levels.

Most research experts such academicians, consultants rely more on communities’ primary data gathered during field visits. Therefore, in a bid to create good rapport, a lot is promised in particular confidentiality and dissemination of research findings.

However, various challenges such as time, money, human resource have made researchers and academicians disregard such a professional ethic in research.

This has not only exhausted communities due to the continuous data collection, but also made them lose trust thus resistance is felt by new researchers especially students. The fact that researchers value primary data means that they must value such communities too.

The above is not different from project closer or termination as some organisations abruptly end or terminate their activities in communities without a clear exit plan.

The fact that local people are not entirely sensitised on such activities partly explains why some project activities fail immediately such a scenario happens.

The ideal situation would necessitate such organisations to plan a detailed closeout plan to ease continuity and sustainability of such activities in the community. Here most stakeholders can be consulted.

Therefore, there is need to always disseminate research findings to communities since they are the primary partners in development.

The writer is lecturer at Uganda Martyrs University