According to ethical research guidelines, what is the ideal action a researcher should take to prevent data theft?

The ideal action a researcher should take to prevent data theft is to encrypt sensitive data before transport. Encrypting data makes it unreadable to unauthorized users, thereby ensuring that even if data is intercepted during transit, it cannot be accessed without the appropriate decryption key. This is particularly important in preserving the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information, which is a core principle of ethical research guidelines.

While securing physical research materials is important, simply leaving them in secure places does not provide sufficient protection against theft during transportation. Storing data in personal vehicles can pose risks, as vehicles can be broken into, making this option unsuitable for protecting sensitive information. Similarly, while destroying unnecessary paper copies is a good practice for minimizing risk, it does not address the potential vulnerabilities that can arise during the data transportation phase. Encryption serves as a proactive measure, making it more effective in preventing data theft during transit.