Research Ethics Approval Form

This form is for students conducting research activity involving human participants or data collected from human participants. It is mandatory to gain ethical approval before starting the research. The form includes sections for basic details, project summary, participants, data storage and security, ethical issues, and declaration.

Research Ethics approval form
All students conducting research activity that involves human
participants or the use of data collected form human participants are
required to gain ethical approval before commencing their research.
Please answer all relevant questions and note that your form may be
returned if incomplete.
For further support and guidance please see your respective Unit Tutor:
Before completing this form, we advise that you discuss your proposed
research fully with your unit tutor. Please complete this form in good
time before your research project is due to commence.
Section 1: Basic details:
Project title:
Student name:
Student ID number:
Programme:
College Name:
Intended research start date:
Intended research end date:
Section 2 Project summary
Please select all research methods that you plan to use as a part of your project:
 Interviews Yes No
 Questionnaires Yes No
 Observations Yes No
 Use of personal records Yes No
 Data Analysis Yes No
 Action Research Yes No
 Focus Groups Yes No
 Others (Please specify) :
Section 3: Participants
Please answer the following questions, giving full details where necessary.
Will your research involve human participants?
Who are the participants? Tick all that apply:
Ages 12-16: Young people aged: 17-18 Adults: 18>
How will participants be recruited (identified an approached)?
Email,Text
Describe the processes you will use to inform participants about what you are doing:
The method of email will be used
How will you obtain consent from participants? Will this be written? How will it be
made clear to participants that they may withdraw consent to participate at any time?
By signing the consent form with the participants
Studies involving questionnaires: will participants be given the option of omitting
questions that do not wish to answer? Yes No
If no please explain why below and ensure that you cover any ethical issues arising
from this
Studies involving observation: Confirm whether participants will be asked for their
informed consent to be observed. Yes No

Will you debrief participants at the end of their participation (i.e give them a brief
explanation of the study)? Yes No
Will participants be given information about the findings of your study?(This could be a
brief summary of your findings in general) Yes No
Section 4: Data Storage and Security
Confirm that all personal data will be stored and processed in compliance with the
Data Protection Act (1998) Yes No
Who will have access to the data and personal information?
Only the researcher
During the research:
Where will the data be stored?
In the computer and in pen drives
Will mobile devices such as USB storage and laptops be used
Yes No
If Yes, please provide further details:
After the research:
Where will the data be stored?
In the computer disk
How long will the data and records be kept for and in what format?
Till the research is completed and it will be saved in electronic format
Will data be kept for use by other researchers? Yes No
Section 5 : Ethical Issues
Are there any particular features of your proposed work, which may raise ethical
concerns? If so, please outline how you will deal with these:
It is important that you demonstrate your awareness of potential risks that may arise
because of your research. Please consider/address all issues that may apply. Ethical
concerns may include, but are not limited to the following :
 Informed consent.
 Potentially vulnerable participants.
 Sensitive topics
 Risk to participants and /or researchers
 Confidentiality/anonymity
 Disclosures/ limits to confidentiality
 Data storage and security, both during and after the research (including
transfer, sharing, encryption, protection).
 Reporting
 Dissemination and use of your findings.
Section 6: Declaration
I have read, understood and will abide by the institution’s Research and Ethics
Policy: Yes No
I have discussed the ethical issues relating to my research with my Unit Tutor:
Yes No
I confirm that to the best of my knowledge:
The above information is correct, and this is a full description of the ethical
issues that may arise in the course of my research