1. Research Ethics: a short guide for Staff 2017/18
Dr. Sarah Quinton, University Research Ethics Chair,

2. Research Ethics University Policy
All research involving human participants or their data requires ethical review and approval before participants are formally approached to take part.
Human ‘participants’ include:
living individuals,
recently deceased individuals,
human tissue, blood & genes,
human data

3. Rights of the research participant
Freedom from harm – the safety of participants should be paramount. Weigh up risks and benefits
Autonomy – participants must decide voluntarily whether to take part in research and can withdraw at any time
Participants must give their informed consent to opt into research
Confidentiality – identities and locations must be protected during storage and when reporting research findings
Justice – fair treatment and no-deception

4. Research Ethics at Oxford Brookes ethics at Oxford Brookes
All staff & students are required to carefully consider the ethical implications of the research they conduct with human participants
OBU research ethics review procedures are designed to monitor the University Code of Practice for research involving human participants (see i.e. to ensure the dignity, rights, safety and well-being of participants are given primary consideration
It is a University requirement for staff to follow the research ethics review procedures
Ethics review and approval is a two stage process carried out first at Faculty and then University level
The first ‘port of call’ should be the Faculty Research Ethics Officer – listed on the research ethics website

5. When is review by the University Research Ethics Committee (UREC) not required?
When the research consists wholly of:
routine audit, performance review or evaluation conducted by an organisation as part of good practice
the collection of data for the purposes of evaluating an educational activity and which will not be published externally
research of contemporary issues in the public domain e.g. public policy issues, where it involves no interaction with the individuals who are the subject of the study
Research involving the NHS / Social Care (see next slide)

6. Which Research Ethics Committee should review a study?
NHS Research Ethics Committees
Research involving patients / social care users or their relatives / carers, recruited through the NHS
Research with human tissue, blood, bodies, body parts
(Must be reviewed internally by Faculty REO prior to this)
Oxford Brookes University Research Ethics Committee
Research by staff or research degree students
(UREC comprises academic staff, student representatives and lay members)
OBU Faculty Research Ethics Officers / Committees
Research by Foundation Degree, UG and taught PG students

7. The UREC process Download and draft E2U form and relevant materials
Send via to FREO to review
FREO will feedback with written comments
Amend draft, if necessary resubmit to FREO
FREO confirms approval, print off and SIGN hard copy and delivers to UREC office
FREO submits hardcopy to UREC administrator 2 weeks prior to committee meeting
UREC meeting, applications discussed, conditional approval given, letters sent by to researchers with conditions

8. Research Ethics Review Process
Submit E2U form and attachments to FREO at least one week before the deadline on website
FREO must submit the signed-off E2U form to UREC administration 2 weeks before committee sits
UREC reviews application and based on recommendations by the committee, the Chair sends letter to the Principal Investigator and supervisory team 1 week after committee meeting:
Full approval or
Approval subject to conditions – reply within 3 weeks & forward relevant material to administrator and UREC Chair or
Resubmission or
Reject

9. GETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE PRACTICALITIES
Read / download from Website:
Code of practice & ‘What does it mean for me?’ E2U form / guidelines for PI Sheet and Consent form …
Complete E2U plus relevant documentation
Discuss with FREO/send draft
Finalise E2U and documentation
Arrange sign-off with FREO well before UREC submission deadline (hard copy)

10. ‘Light touch’ review Appropriate for:
Research where volunteers are asked only about their professional roles / job experience and which does not require their employer’s permission to interview them on business premises
Research that involves the use of an anonymous, self-completion questionnaire, or the completion of a standard survey that has no ethical implications (e.g. a transport survey)
Research that extends a previous study that was approved by UREC. The Chair of UREC may give permission for the original study design to be extended on receipt of a light touch form
Complete ‘light touch’ application form and send to FREO for review / ‘signing-off’. Then forward to UREC administrator, Louise Wood

11. What additional documentation is required?
Participant invitation letter and information sheets
Consent forms
Draft interview /observation schedules or questionnaires
Any recruitments adverts, such as posters, s, Twitter message, announcements for the Research Activity Group
Permission letters from gate-keepers e.g. Head teachers, CEOs, leaders of faith organisations (can be sent afterwards to UREC)

12. Difficult ethics issues
These vary from project to project but may include:
Research in your own workplace e.g. role conflict
Researching your own students / family / clients / employees / colleagues e.g. dependent relationships
Research involving children, e.g. consent issues
Data protection / Confidentiality of participants, particularly where small samples are involved
Intrusion e.g. demands on participants

13. Questions?
or (48)5694