Year 1: Ethics Approval

Ethics Approval Application Guidelines
Ethics Approval Application Form

These application forms and guidelines address low-risk applications submitted for review and approval by your Advisory Panel and Chair of Ethics. If you discover you require a high-risk ethics approval to review this document, you will bring this to the attention of your lead advisor.

Research with ethical approval

Ethical research must be performed to ensure fruitful research and minimize the risk of harm. The aim of an ethical review is to protect participants. Participants have the right to understand who has access to their data and what is being done with it. The ethical review also helps protect the researcher. Obtaining ethical approval confirms that you have followed accepted ethical standards and reassures potential participants.

You will consider the following fundamental principles concerning your research plan and how it is conducted:

  • The collection of data and informed consent;

  • The rights of participants to withdraw from the research without fear or penalty;

  • Ensuring confidentiality and anonymity for participants and related practices for the storage and access to data;

  • Providing participants with adequate information concerning the research, its outcomes and how it will be used so they make informed decisions on how they will participate;

  • Protecting researchers from misuse of research ethics provisions.

Research without ethical approval

It is commonly accepted that funders will not provide financial support for research without ethical approval. A growing number of publications will no longer accept submissions for research that has not been ethically approved. Researchers need to present evidence of ethical approval in order to publish their results to research and other communities beyond this Institute.

If ethical approval has not been obtained, researchers are personally responsible for claims and are at risk of litigation to resolve disputes. If you are planning to conduct research internationally, note that ethical approval will be conditional on securing local ethical research approval locally.

It is important to note that ethics approval must be secured before the research is carried out. Retroactive approval is not an option. You will not be able to include work done before your dissertation's approval.

Determining if your project is low-risk

Projects deemed to be more than minimal risk include:

  • The research includes data that reveal political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, racial or ethnic origin, physical or mental health, sex life or sexual orientation, or genetic or biometric data processed to identify a participant uniquely.

  • Research which is conducted without a participant's full and informed consent at the time the research was conducted.

  • Research including vulnerable groups and/or sensitive topics

  • Research involving groups where gatekeepers are required.

  • Research requiring access to records of a participant or confidential information, including genetic, biometric or other biological information, concerning identifiable individuals.

  • Research which could potentially result in stress, anxiety or humiliation or cause pain.

  • Research involving interventions, which may cause them to reveal information which may later cause concern or risk – for example, hypnotherapy, extreme exercise, or the intake of drugs or alcohol.

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