Theresa Harvey
William Smith College '18
Protecting Human Subjects
When conducting research with human subjects, I will ensure protection of human subjects. I will request IRB approval before conducting research with human participants. Some of the IRB forms that I will submit include Informed Consent Form as well as documents that explain my ethical considerations such as confidentiality and voluntary participation. Within the Informed Consent Form, I would tell the participants of the benefits and risks of being a part of the research. I would clarify that their participation is voluntary and they are free to discontinue participating at any point during the research. When the research allows for confidentiality, I will ensure the participants that their responses are confidential, which means no one besides the researcher will have access to the recorded and analyzed data and these documents will be destroyed after completion of the study.
Theresa Harvey
Researcher's Positionality
As a researcher, it is important to note one's social position before conducting ethnographic research. In terms of my social position, I am young female adult who is currently pursuing a bachelors degree at a small private liberal arts college. I grew up in mainly a white suburban town with middle class upbringings. Throughout my secondary education, I attended a public school system in Massachusetts, where the majority of students, teachers and staff were white and middle class.
In terms of my positionality within the American food system, I am privileged and advantaged in the sense that I can afford many different food options. I can afford the healthy, organic and locally grown food at a farmers market or at the grocery store. These local and organic foods tend to be more expensive than processed, GMO containing foods. Since I associate with American and European culture, I know I can find my cultural food in the main aisles of the supermarket and can easily find a restaurant that serves my ethnic cuisine. Most of the food industry in America caters to white middle class families.
