Sensitivity to Multicultural Issues

When constructing interview schedules, questionnaires or other data-gathering instruments, it is important to be sensitive to different cultural perspectives. Depending upon the nature and location of your research, the following issues should be considered:

(i) Your own prejudices and biases. Though we may strive to be objective, we all have our own, often unacknowledged, prejudices. They may relate to a person's age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or marital, parental or socio-economic status.

(ii) Sensitivity to the language used in the research process to describe the different groups involved: e.g. Are explicitly derogatory terms used in describing children or adults from 'other' groups?; Are subtly derogatory terms used, such as 'these people' when describing participants in a project?

(iii) Is the language used in data-collection instruments accessible and understandable to all participants?

(iv) Are members/representatives of all groups of participants involved in planning, implementing, and reviewing results from the research?

(v) Have multicultural issues been addressed openly at all stages of the research?

(vi) Does the group of participants represent the cultural diversity of the institution/ area? What implications may this have for the research findings?

(vii) Could the results of the research be viewed differently by different cultural groups? What has been done to ensure that their perspectives have been included?