Tier 2 College Research Ethics Committee (CREC) Application Form

Please ensure you have completed the Tier 1 checklist before completing this form.

1Applicant details

Project title
Proposed start and end date of project
Name of researcher
School
Level (UG/Taught PG/PGR/Staff)
Address
Phone
Email
Funder (if applicable)

2Student details

Course/Module/Unit name/number
Name of supervisor/tutor
Supervisor contact details

3Introduction (200-500 words)

Please provide a brief background to the research, including context and rationale and the purpose of the research and aims of the study/hypothesis to be tested.

4Research approach and methods (250-1,000 words)

Please outline the research approach and methods to be used including:

  • How is the research to be conducted – what is the design?
  • How, where and when will data be collected (please include copies of any questionnaires to be used, or sample interview questions)?
  • What research methods (statistical or qualitative) will be used?Please demonstrate an understanding of procedures to be used and/or training undertaking in research methods.
  • How will the results be analysed and by whom?
  • How will the analysis achieve the purpose of the study?
  • What facilities/resources will be required and who will provide them?

5aParticipants and recruitment: general information

What sorts of participants (age range, ethnicity, number, gender) are to be recruited? Will any vulnerable groups of people or individuals be involved? Consider the concept of ‘vulnerability’ in its broadest sense?

What inclusion/exclusion criteria will be used? Is exclusion from the research likely to deny an individual access from services that would otherwise have been provided?

How will initial contact be made? Include details of gatekeepers and others who are to be approached? Please supply a copy of any means of advertising, such as posters, leaflets, emails, web pages or letters.

A copy of any relevant materials used to recruit participants should be attached to this application

5bParticipants and recruitment: payments to participants

Will participants be reimbursed or paid for their expenses and/or time? If so, please provide details of any payments or vouchers to be offered, or other incentives such as being entered into a prize draw (you should ensure that any payment does not constitute an inappropriate inducement to take part).

6Potential ethical issues including risks, benefits, outcomes and impacts of the research beyond participant recruitment and vulnerabilities (minimum 200 words)

Referring to the Tier 1 checklist, pleaseoutlinethe key ethical issues in this research and discuss how potential issues are to be addressed and how any negative impact(s) will be minimised.

Are there any expected benefits or positive impacts of the research on participants or their communities? Possible impacts might include psychological, health, social, economic or political changes or ramifications, either at the time the research is carried out or in the future.

Potential ethical issues / How ethical issues will be addressed

7Participant information and consent

Please outline how participants will be informed (both orally and in writing) about the research and their participation in the study. How will you ensure that information is provided in a format/language suitable for the target audience? Please describe how written consent will be obtained, or if you are working with participants who cannot give written consent, an explanation of the reason for seeking oral consent and details of the procedure to be adopted.

If consent is not being sought, or will not be sought until after data has been collected (e.g. if it involves covert observation), please say why consent will not be sought or why the delay is necessary, and what steps will be taken (if any) to debrief participants and obtain consent afterwards.

Copies of consent forms, participant information sheets and any other information for participants should be attached to this application

8Confidentiality and data storage

Please describe measures that will be taken to ensure anonymity, privacy, confidentiality and data protection. This should include:

  • How participants will be identified without breach of the data protection act and to guard against invasion of privacy (e.g. if you plan to access personal information to identify potential participants)?
  • What steps will be taken to anonymise data (this may include removing identifying information in addition to names)
  • How data (both physical and digital) will be collected, handled, transferred and stored
  • Who will have access to the data other than the researcher (eg supervisors, transcribers etc)
  • How long data will be retained, and how it will eventually be destroyed
  • Where the research data will be published (eg essay, dissertation, academic paper, exhibition, online) and who will have access to the results

9Other ethical issues

Please outline any other ethical issues that have not already been discussed in the sections above and describe how these will be addressed.

10Supervisor sign-off (for student research only)

I confirm that I have checked the application and that the student has addressed the relevant ethical issues, has received training in ethics as part of their module or programme and has the necessary skills and experience to carry out the proposed research.

Supervisor:______Date:______

11Checklist for accompanying documents

Please ensure you have attached copies of any of the following documents where relevant

Tier 1 checklist

Information sheets

Consent forms

Advertising or recruitment materials

Sample questionnaires or interview questions

Risk assessment forms

Letters of support from external organisations involved in the research

List of references cited in the application

Please also ensure that the application is complete and has been checked for accuracy, grammar and spelling.

Please return this form and all accompanying documentation to the Secretary of the College of Arts and Humanities REC (Jenny Embleton, ).