Research Ethics Approval Form: A Guide for Students

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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: .....................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
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)?
They will be recruited through email
Describe the processes you will use to inform participants about what you are doing:
 How will you obtain consent from participants? Consent form
 Will this be written? Yes
 How will it be made clear to participants that they may withdraw consent to participate at any
time? It will be written in the questionnaire
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 reseracher
During the research:
Where will the data be stored? In computer hard-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? computer hard-drive
How long will the data and records be kept for and in what format? Till the
research is completed
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.)
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: ...................................................................................