ICON College Research Ethics Approval Form: M&S Case Study

This document is a completed research ethics approval form submitted by a student for a research project examining the impact of online shopping on customer satisfaction, specifically using Marks and Spencer as a case study. The form details the research methods, including interviews and questionnaires, and outlines the processes for participant recruitment, informed consent, and data handling. It addresses ethical considerations such as participant confidentiality, data storage and security, and potential risks to participants and researchers. The form confirms adherence to the institution's Research and Ethics Policy and discussion of ethical issues with the unit tutor, ensuring the research complies with ethical guidelines and data protection regulations.

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:
To examine the way online shopping affects customer satisfaction- A case study of
Marks and Spencer
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: ✓
How will participants be recruited (identified an approached)?
Participants be recruited through survey
Describe the processes you will use to inform participants about what you are
doing:
The processes you will use to inform participants is direct communication
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?
In written form
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 senior authority
During the research:
Where will the data be stored?
Management information system
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?
Management information system
How long will the data and records be kept for and in what format?
Till its use
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: yes
The above information is correct, and this is a full description of the
ethical issues that may arise in the course of my research
Name: Date:
Please submit your completed form to your supervisor.