Final answer:
The term for the explanation provided to research participants at the end of a study about the research process is called 'debriefing.' It follows the informed consent process and elucidates the hypothesis, results, and conclusions, ensuring ethical standards are maintained.
Step-by-step explanation:
The explanation a researcher provides to participants about the research process when it is over is called a debriefing. This is an essential component of ethical research, where participants are given full information about the purpose of the study, its design, and the results after their participation is complete. It's an opportunity for researchers to explain the hypothesis, the methodology, and the results and/or discussion of the experiment, as well as to address any other questions or concerns from participants.
Debriefing often follows the informed consent process, which involves informing participants about what to expect during the experiment, any risks involved, and the implications of the research, before obtaining their consent to participate. After the data is collected, analyzed, and conclusions are drawn, researchers engage in debriefing to help participants understand the significance of their involvement and the contribution to the larger body of knowledge. It may also involve sharing any inductive reasoning conclusions that were made based on the observations from the study.
A proper debriefing ensures transparency and maintains the trust of participants, which is crucial for the integrity and continuance of research. It also complements the scientific process by helping communicate the conclusion of the experiment and summarizing the importance of the findings, which could lead to further questions or studies. For many research studies, particularly in psychology or social sciences, the debriefing can be as critical as the study itself, as it adheres to ethical standards and promotes continued learning and investigation.