Respondent Identity Policy

At Khidmatuna: Journal of Research and Community Service, we are committed to safeguarding the privacy and identity of research respondents who participate in studies published in our journal. To ensure respondent confidentiality and ethical research practices, we have implemented a stringent Respondent Identity Protection Policy.

Face Masking for Respondents

For studies involving visual data collection or analysis, Khidmatuna may apply face masking techniques to ensure the anonymity of respondents. This involves digitally altering or "masking" facial features to prevent the identification of individual respondents. Face masking may include blurring, pixelation, or other suitable methods that obscure facial characteristics while preserving the integrity of the data.

Informed Consent Obligation

Authors submitting research articles to Khidmatuna that involve human participants must adhere to the principles of informed consent. This obligation ensures that respondents are fully informed about the purpose of the study, the nature of their participation, potential risks and benefits, and how their data will be used. Authors are required to:

  • Clearly state in the manuscript that informed consent was obtained from all respondents, and describe the process of obtaining consent.
  • Provide details on how respondent anonymity and privacy were protected during data collection, analysis, and presentation.
  • Ensure that any images, audio recordings, or other identifiable materials used in the study have been appropriately anonymized or modified to prevent respondent identification.

Ethical Considerations

The Respondent Identity Protection Policy aligns with our commitment to ethical research conduct and respects the rights and privacy of research participants. By implementing face masking techniques and upholding informed consent principles, we aim to promote responsible and respectful research practices that contribute to the advancement of knowledge while safeguarding respondent identities.

Last Updated: 22 August 2022