Rights of a Research Respondent

Respondents are people who during a marketing research project take out time and express their opinions and receive nothing much in return. However these people have their own rights and this should be honored by the market research firm.

Right to Choose

Everyone individual who has been contacted for the purpose of research can decide whether or not to participate. Any person who is being forced to participate may end up giving incomplete answers or false data.

Right to Safety

Every individual participating in a research project has the right to safety from physical or psychological harm. During the process of say an interview, the research suppliers should clearly mention the issue/problem/harm w.r.t. to a research project.

Right to Be Informed

Continuing with the earlier right, research participants need to be informed of all the aspects related to a research project. What is involved, duration of questionnaire, reasons for data collection all need to be made known to the participant.

Right to Privacy

Major research organizations like Marketing Research Association (MRA), the Council of American Survey Research Organizations (CASRO), the Internet Marketing Research Association (IMRO),

the American Marketing Association (AMA), and the Advertising Research Foundation

(ARF), have privacy codes. The respondent has every right of privacy and these organizations spell out the regulations.