Application for Ethical Approval: Research Activity and Guidelines

This document is an application for ethical approval for research activities. It covers various aspects of the research, including the purpose, aims, and objectives, as well as the proposed methods, location, and scope of the research. The application addresses the intended participants, information provided to them, and potential risks to participants, investigators, and the university. It also outlines measures for feedback, informed consent, and confidentiality, as well as data protection and storage protocols, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and ethical guidelines. The application is designed to minimize risks and ensure the ethical conduct of the research. It details the steps taken to protect participant data, maintain confidentiality, and address potential adverse outcomes. The document also includes a reflection report on the research methods, literature sources, knowledge gained, and learning experiences during the MBA program and major project.

APPLICATION FOR ETHICAL APPROVAL
In order for research to result in benefit and minimise risk of harm, it must be
conducted ethically. A researcher may not be covered by the University’s insurance if
ethical approval has not been obtained prior to commencement.
The University follows the OECD Frascati manual definition of research activity: “creative
work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including
knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new
applications”. As such this covers activities undertaken by members of staff, postgraduate
research students, and both taught postgraduate and undergraduate students working on
dissertations/projects.
The individual undertaking the research activity is known as the “principal researcher”.
Ethical approval is not required for routine audits, performance reviews, quality assurance
studies, testing within normal educational requirements, and literary or artistic criticism.
Please read the notes for guidance before completing ALL sections of the form.
This formmust be completed and approved prior to undertaking any research
activity.Please see Checklist for details of process for different categories of application.
SECTION A: About You (Principal Researcher)
Full Name:
Tick all boxes which apply:
Member of staff: Student: Honorary research fellow:
Faculty/School/Centre:
Campus:
E-mail address:
Contact Telephone Number:
For students:
Student Number: Undergraduate
Programme of Study: Taught
Postgraduate
Director of Studies/Supervisor: Research
SECTION B: Approval for Research Activity
Has the research activity received approval in principle?
(please check the Guidance Notes as to the appropriate approval process
for different levels of research by different categories of individual)
YES NO
Date
If Yes, please indicate source of
approval (and date where known): Research Degrees Committee
Faculty Research Committee
Other (write in)

Approval in principle must be obtained from the relevant source prior to seeking ethical approval.
SECTION C: External Ethical Guidance Materials
Please list the core ethical guidance documents that have been referred to during the
completion of this form (including any discipline-specific codes of research ethics, and also any
specific ethical guidance relating to the proposed methodology). Please tick to confirm that your
research proposal adheres to these codes and guidelines.
SECTION D: External Collaborative Research Activity
Does the research activity involve collaborators outside of
the University? YES NO
If Yes, please provide the name of the external organisation and name and contact details for the
main contact person:
Institution
Contact person name
Contact person e-mail address
Where research activity is carried out in collaboration with an external organisation
Does this organisation have its own ethics approval system? YES NO
If Yes, please attach a copy of any final approval (or interim approval) from the organisation
SECTION E: Details of Research Activity
Indicative title:
Proposed start date: Proposed end date:
Purpose of research activity (including aims and objectives)
Outline the purpose, aims and objectives of the research activity, including key research
questions. Show briefly how existing research has informed the proposed activity and explain
what the research activity will add and how it addresses an area of importance. (Maximum 300
words)
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Proposed methods
Provide a brief summary of all the methods that may be used in the research activity, making it
clear what specific techniques may be used. If methods other than those listed in this section
are deemed appropriate later, additional ethical approval for those methods will be needed.
(Maximum 600 words)
The research would undergo mixed research methodology such as qualitative research as well
as quantitative research

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Location of research activity
Identify all locations where research activity will take place.
Study was conducted in Gulshan, Dhaka, which is located in Bangladesh.
Research activity outside of the UK
If research activity will take place overseas, you are responsible for ensuring that local ethical
considerations are complied with and that the relevant permissions are sought. Specify any
local guidelines (e.g. from local professional associations/learned societies/universities) that
exist and whether these involve any ethical stipulations beyond those usual in the UK (provide
details of any licenses or permissions required). Also specify whether there are any specific
ethical issues raised by the local context in which the research activity is taking place, for
example, particular cultural sensitivities or vulnerabilities of participants.
No ethical issues encountered
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SECTION F: Scope of Research Activity
Will the research activity include:
YES NO
Use of a questionnaire or similar research instrument?
Use of interviews?
Use of diaries?
Participant observation with their knowledge?
Participant observation without their knowledge?
Use of video or audio recording?
Access to personal or confidential information without the participants’ specific
consent?
Administration of any questions, test stimuli, presentation that may be
experienced as physically, mentally or emotionally harmful / offensive?
Performance of any acts which may cause embarrassment or affect self-esteem?
Investigation of participants involved in illegal activities?
Use of procedures that involve deception?
Administration of any substance, agent or placebo?
Working with live vertebrate animals?
If NO to every question, then the research activity is (ethically) low risk and may be exempt from
some of the following sections (please refer to Guidance Notes).
If YES to any question, then no research activity should be undertaken until full ethical approval
has been obtained.

SECTION G: Intended Participants
Who are the intended participants:
YES NO
Students or staff at the University?
Adults (over the age of 18 and competent to give consent)?
Vulnerable adults?
Children under 18?
Prisoners?
Young offenders?
Those who could be considered to have a particularly dependent relationship
with the investigator or a gatekeeper?
People engaged in illegal activities?
Others (please identify):
Participant numbers and source
Provide an estimate of the expected number of participants. How will you identify participants and
how will they be recruited?
50 and they would be recruited through random sampling methods
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Information for participants: YES NO N/A
Will you describe the main researchprocedures to participants in
advance, so that they are informed about what to expect?
Will you tell participants that their participation is voluntary?
Will you obtain written consent for participation?
Will you explain to participants that refusal to participate in the
research will not affect their treatment or education (if relevant)?
If the research is observational, will you ask participants for their
consent to being observed?
Will you tell participants that they may withdraw from the research
at any time and for any reason?
With questionnaires, will you give participants the option of
omitting questions they do not want to answer?
Will you tell participants that their data will be treated with full
confidentiality and that, if published, it will not be identifiable as
theirs?
Will you debrief participants at the end of their participation, in a
way appropriate to the type of research undertaken?
If NOto any of above questions, please give an explanation
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Information for participants: YES NO N/A
Will participants be paid?
Is specialist electrical or other equipment to be used with
participants?
Are there any financial or other interests to the investigator or
University arising from this study?
Will the research activity involve deliberately misleading
participants in any way, or the partial or full concealment of the
specific study aims?
If YESto any question, please provide full details
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SECTION H: Anticipated Risks
Outline any anticipated risksthat may adversely affect any of the participants, the
researchers and/or the University, and the steps that will be taken to address them.
Risks to participants
For example: emotional distress, financial disclosure, physical harm, transfer of personal data,
sensitive organisational information
No risks involved
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If research activity may include sensitive, embarrassing or upsetting topics (e.g. sexual activity,
drug use) or issues likely to disclose information requiring further action (e.g. criminal activity), give
details of the procedures to deal with these issues, including any support/advice (e.g. helpline
numbers) to be offered to participants. Note that where applicable, consent procedures should
make it clear that if something potentially or actually illegal is discovered in the course of a project,
it may need to be disclosed to the proper authorities
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Risks to investigator
For example: personal safety, physical harm, emotional distress, risk of accusation of
harm/impropriety, conflict of interest
No such risks
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University/institutional risks
For example: adverse publicity, financial loss, data protection
NA
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Adverse outcomes
List measures put in place to limit any adverse effects or outcomes of research activity where
appropriate. Include any emergency protocols.
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Disclosure and Barring Service
If the research activity involves children or vulnerable adults, a
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate must be obtained
before any contact with such participants. YES NO N/A
Has a DBS certificate been obtained?

SECTION I: Feedback, Consent and Confidentiality
Feedback
What feedback will be provided to participants, how will this be done and when?
Feedback would be emailed to participant at the end of survey
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Informed consent
Describe the arrangements to inform potential participants, before providing consent, of what is
involved in participating. Describe the arrangements for participants to provide full consent before
data collection begins. If gaining consent in this way isinappropriate, explain how consent will be
obtained and recorded.
Data consent form needs to be signed off at the beginning of data collection
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Confidentiality / Anonymity
Set out how anonymity of participants and confidentiality will be ensured in any outputs. If
anonymity is not being offered, explain why this is the case.
Complete confidentiality of individuals who are participating by keeping their answers in password
protected folders
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SECTION J: Data Protection and Storage
In completing this section refer to the University’s Research Data Management Policy and the
extensive resources on the University’s Research Data Management web pages
YES NO
Does the research activity involve personal data (as defined by the Data
Protection Act)?
If YES, provide adescription of the data and explain why this data needs to be collected:
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Does it involve sensitive personal data (as defined by the Data Protection
Act)?
If YES, provide adescription of the data and explain why this data needs to be collected:
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Will the research activity involve any of the following activities: YES NO
Electronic transfer of data in any form?
Sharing of data with others at the University?
Sharing of data with other organisations?
Export of data outside the European Union or importing of data from outside
the UK?
Use of personal addresses, postcodes, faxes, emails or telephone numbers?
Publication of data that might allow identification of individuals?
Use of data management system?
Data archiving?
If YESto any question, please provide full details, explaining how this will be conducted in
accordance with the Data Protection Act (and/or any international equivalent):
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Will the research activity involve storing personal data on one of the
following: YES NO
Manual files (i.e. in paper form)?
University computers?
Private company computers?
Home or other personal computers?
Laptop computers/ CDs/ Portable disk-drives/ memory sticks?
“Cloud” storage or websites?
Other – specify:
For all stored data, explain the measures in place to ensure data confidentiality, including details of
password protection, encryption and anonymisation:
There would be strong data encryption process along with fingerprints
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List all who will have access to the data generated by the research activity:
Researcher and his assistant only
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List who will have control of, and act as custodian(s) for, data generated by the research activity:
Assistant researcher and data collector
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Give details of data storage arrangements, including where data will be stored, how long for, and in
what form. Will data be archived – if so how and if not why not.
Data would be stored from 6 months to 1 year
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SECTION K: Declaration
The information which I have provided is correct and complete to the best of my knowledge. I have
attempted to identify any risks and issues related to the research activity and acknowledge my
obligations and the rights of the participants.
In submitting this application I hereby confirm that I undertake to ensure that the above named
research activity will meet the University’s
Signature of applicant: Date:
For students:
Director of Studies/Supervisor:
Signature:
Date:
For staff:
Head of School/Assistant
Dean:
Signature:
Date:
Checklist: Please complete the checklist below to ensure that you have completed the form
according to the guidelines and attached any required documentation:
I have read the guidance notes supplied before completing the form.
I have completed ALL RELEVANT sections of the form in full.
I confirm that the research activity has received approval in principle
I have attached a copy of final/interim approval from external organisation (where appropriate)
I understand that it is my responsibility to ensure that the above named research activity will
meet the University’s Research Ethics and Integrity Code of Practice.
I understand that before commencing data collection all documents aimed at respondents
(including information sheets, consent forms, questionnaires, interview schedules etc.) must
be confirmed by the DoS/Supervisor, module tutor or Head of School.
RESEARCH STUDENTS AND STAFF ONLY
All communications relating to this application during its processing must be in writing and emailed to
with the title ‘Ethical Approval’ followed by your name.
You will be informed of the outcome of your claim by email; thereforeit is important that you check
your University and personal email accounts regularly.
STUDENTS ON UNDERGRADUATE OR TAUGHT MASTERS PROGRAMMES should submit
this form (and receive the outcome) via systems explained to you by the supervisor/module
leader.