I have learned the importance of ethics when conducting research that involves children. It is very important that consent is given by a parent or guardian before a child participates in any research or study. It is also important that the researcher does not include anything that will be damaging to the child in their research. The researcher should also be sure that their research in age appropriate for the children participating. I have gained a sense of how important it is to be organized before and during research. The researcher should gather some information about his or her topic prior to researching. The type of research should also be known so that the researcher knows what direction to go as far as gathering the necessary information. This includes knowing rather the study is quantitative or qualitative. When it comes to planning, designing and conducting research, I learned that research design sets the tone for the research. Research designs are procedures that the research should develop that will guide them throughout their study. If the research design is not in order, there is a great possibility that their research will not be in order. All information and or data must fit together when conducting research. A challenge that I encountered was choosing the right research question. At first, my question was too broad. I met my challenge by narrowing my question down. My perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course by becoming familiar with the importance of ethics. Ethics is a vital part of protecting children who participate in any research. Consent must be given for a parent or guardian prior to the child participating in the research. As we have come to the close of this course, I would like to thank each and every one of you for the collaboration and input you have contributed to furthering my education on the “how” and “why” aspects of conduction research. Although, this has been a challenging course for me, I am proud to say that I am leaving with much more information than I came with! Again, thank you all I you the best in your future endeavors(!