SERA Starting Points for Educational Research in Scotland

At the beginning of 2019 a team of researchers on the SERA Executive Committee reviewed the SERA Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research (2005) with a view to updating them. It was decided, however, that the British Educational Research Association (BERA) Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research (2018) provided comprehensive statements on this matter. Subsequently, the team undertook to update the 2007 SERA publication Starting Points for Research in Schools.

Twenty-one months (and a global pandemic) later a document was produced that we hope will assist people engaged with research across all types of educational settings in Scotland.

Starting Points for Educational Research in Scotland has been produced to help those beginning as researchers and for those who have more experience with pointers to key issues, responsibilities, and wider implications of undertaking and participating in research. We hope you find it useful.

Download the document from this link: SERA Starting Points for Educational Research in Scotland 2020

Following on from Starting Points, SERA recommends that when planning research, researchers consider public health implications and issues of sustainability.

The most current information on public health guidance should always be consulted and can be found on the Scottish Government website https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/.  We encourage researchers to check this regularly at all stages of research but particularly if this is likely to include in-person data collection.

In addition to promoting adherence to public health guidance, SERA is also committed to reducing its carbon footprint. We encourage researchers to consider and where possible address issues related to sustainability in their projects, for example, but not confined to, use of paper, travel, or the need for face-to-face data collection. Further information on sustainability issues can be found in the BERA Manifesto for Education for Environmental Sustainability (2021).

For more specific advice on any of the above, please seek the support of your establishment/institution.