Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research: Research Design
Introduction
Integrating Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) considerations at each stage of the research process is essential to creating innovative and impactful research, making findings more ethically sound, relevant to society and responsive to national and global challenges. The purpose of this guide is to share practical resources for embedding equity, diversity and inclusion in every stage of the research process.
Key Considerations
- Adopt an inclusive definition of research excellence.
- Consider who is involved in the research, who the subjects are and who is impacted by the research.
- Consider how all relevant aspects of the research design could be strengthened by integrating EDI considerations.
Guidance and Practices
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Considerations at each Stage of the Research Process
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
To assist the research communities it serves, NSERC has developed this resource on how to embed EDI considerations to each stage of the research process. Key action items:
- Address relevant EDI considerations in your literature review
- Consider whether your research questions and the subsequent findings from your study apply to the needs or experiences of various groups
- When designing the study, consider involvement and impact on various communities, embedding diversity factors to strengthen the research
- Consider privacy, thoughtful data collection, relations between those conducting the research and those participating, potential bias
- In the analysis and interpretation phase consider presenting data disaggregated by diversity factors when appropriate. evaluate whether diversity factors and/or their intersections have an impact on outcomes
- Use methods of dissemination that will be most effective in reaching those who will use and/or could benefit from the findings
Best Practices in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research – EDI in Research Design
New Frontiers in Research Fund
This guide helps support New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) applicants and reviewers, in addition to applicants to other federal research funding programs, in achieving greater equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in their research practice and design. Key action items:
- Design research so that it embeds EDI considerations relevant to each stage of the research process: identifying the research questions; design of the study, methodology and data collection; analysis and interpretation; identification of research users, collaborators and partners; and dissemination of results
- Familiarize yourself with some guiding questions listed in this resource to consider while designing research
Guide to Addressing Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Considerations in Partnership Grant Applications – EDI in Research Design
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
This resource from SSHRC provides examples of EDI in research practice and guiding questions to consider for EDI in research design. Key action items:
- Consider your research topic and people who could potentially be most impacted or excluded by the research and proactively seek to include individuals and partner organizations from such groups or communities in the co-development of the research design to ensure a diversity of perspectives and approaches are considered
- Review the examples in this resource of embedding EDI in research practice
Facilitating Non-Tokenistic User Involvement in Research
Romsland, G. I., Milosavljevic, K. L., & Andreassen, T. A. (2019). Facilitating non-tokenistic user involvement in research. Research Involvement and Engagement, 5(1), 18
This study reviews ways in which to avoid tokenism in user involvement and how to instead stimulate active user engagement in research. Key action items:
- Respect collaborators. Plan for their participation (e.g., accommodate their schedules, provided preparatory material well in advance)
- Implement measures that make the collaborators feel recognised (e.g., include a meal, honorarium)
- Promote collaborators’ active involvement (e.g.,organising activities, disseminating research knowledge and handling language challenges
- Design the study to allow for gathering collaborators’ perspectives and valuing their criticism
Training
Resources for training team members on embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout the research cycle.
Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) Course
Government of Canada
GBA Plus is a Government of Canada initiative demonstrating its commitment to advance gender equality in Canada. The content of this course focuses on the basic introduction to gender-based analysis (GBA) Plus including key concepts of GBA Plus and recognize how various identity and social factors can influence the experience of federal government initiatives while applying some foundational GBA Plus concepts and processes.
How to Integrate Sex and Gender into Research
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
This set of resources was curated by the CIHR for applicants and peer-reviewers in biomedical, clinical, health systems and services and population health disciplines. This includes training modules on integrating sex and gender in Biomedical Research, Primary Data Collection with Human Participants, and the Analysis of Secondary Data from Human Participants.
Sex and Gender Training Modules
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
This series of three interactive courses are designed to help researchers and reviewers account for and appropriately assess the integration of sex and gender across multiple areas of health research. Course 1 addresses sex and gender in biomedical research; Course 2 addresses sex and gender in primary data collection with human participants; and Course 3 addresses sex and gender in the analysis of secondary data from human participants.
This resource includes methods of sex, gender and intersectional analysis for researchers and provides case studies as examples how these analyses can lead to innovation.
Sex & Gender-Based Analysis Plus: The Health Researcher’s Toolkit
Women’s College Hospital
This toolkit introduces key concepts, definitions, and short video lectures from research experts on integrating SGBA+ into a variety of research methodologies in health research.
