Higher Education Research Ethics Approval Form - Kensington College

This document is a completed research ethics approval form for a student's research project on the positive economic, cultural, and ethical impact of globalization on the functions of the retail industry. The form covers essential sections, including basic project details, a research summary outlining methods like interviews, questionnaires, and observations, and detailed information on participant recruitment, consent processes (written consent via email), and the option to omit questions. The form addresses data storage and security in compliance with the Data Protection Act, specifying access, storage locations (pen-drive and laptop), and data retention periods. Furthermore, it identifies potential ethical issues such as informed consent, confidentiality, and data security, and outlines how these will be managed. The student confirms adherence to the institution's Research and Ethics Policy and discusses ethical issues with their tutor, ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the provided information. The form highlights ethical considerations such as informed consent, potential risks to participants and researchers, data storage and security, and reporting and dissemination of findings.

Research Ethics Approval Form
 All students conducting research activity that involves human participants or the use of
data collected from human participants are required to gain ethical approval before
commencing their research.
 Please answer all relevant questions and note that your form will be returned if incomplete.
 For further support and guidance please see your tutor.
 Before completing this form, we advise that you discuss your proposed research fully with your
tutor.
 Please complete this form in good time before your research project is due to commence.
Section 1: Basic Details
Project title:
The positive economic, cultural and ethical impact of globalization on functions of retail industry.
Student name: ...................................................................................
Student ID number: ...................................................................................
Programme: ...................................................................................
College: ...................................................................................
Intended research start date: .............................................
Intended research end date: .........................................
Section 2: Project Summary
Please select all research methods that you plan to use as part of your project:
• Interviews: 
• Questionnaires:  ✔
• Observations:  ✔
• Use of Personal Records: 
• Case Study:  ✔
• Narrative Inquiry: 
• Quantitative Data Analysis: 
• Qualitative Data Analysis:  ✔
• Other (please specify): ....................................................................................................................................................................

Research Ethics Approval Form (contd.)
Section 3: Participants
Please answer the following questions, giving full details where necessary.
Will your research involve human participants?
Adults:  ✔
How will participants be recruited (identified and approached)? approaches
Describe the processes you will use to inform participants about what you are doing:
 How will you obtain consent from participants? Through e-mail
 Will this be written? Yes
 How will it be made clear to participants that they may withdraw consent to participate at any
time? E-mail
Studies involving questionnaires:
Will participants be given the option of omitting questions they 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: 

Research Ethics Approval Form (contd.)
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 stakeholders
During the research:
Where will the data be stored? In pen-drive
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? Laptop
How long will the data and records be kept for and in what format? Four
months
Will data be kept for use by other researchers?
Yes:  No:  ✔
If yes, please provide further details:
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 as a result 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.
• Risks 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.

Research Ethics Approval Form (contd.)
Higher Education Qualifications- Kensington College of Business
Research Ethics Approval Form
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 that this is a full description of the ethics issues that may arise in
the course of my research.
Name: .....................................................................................................................................................................
Date: ...................................................................................