Research Ethics Application Form Paper Example

Please forward an electronic copy via email to the research methods. In almost all cases, the Professor will be able to approve your application on behalf of the Department and the College.

Please be aware that failure to get approval prior to conducting any fieldwork may be considered research misconduct. You must be approved for research ethics by the Professor (or obtain full CSI, IRB approval) before conducting any fieldwork.

Depending on the nature of the research you wish to conduct, it may be necessary for you to get additional approvals and checks. This may involve submitting a full application to CSIs Office for the Protection of Research Subjects. If you have any questions, you should discuss this with the Professor. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have enough time to obtain these approvals prior to conducting any fieldwork.

SECTION ONE: Student Information

Students name:

Program:

Professor:

Project title:

If your research involves no participants i.e. you are not conducting a survey/ interviews/ focus groups complete section 3 and submit the form.

SECTION TWO: PRIMARY RESEARCH

For those intending to carry out primary research:

Are you using a questionnaire, interview, focus group as part of your procedure? If yes, attach a copy of the questionnaire(s), topic guide and/or interview questions.

Are you advertising for participants or posting a notice for volunteers? If yes, attach a copy of the advertisement or notice.

N/A

Describe your participants. What populations form the basis of your sample? (e.g. general population, lone parents, mature students etc). Identify if your participants come from a vulnerable group (e.g. homeless, victims of crime etc). How many people do you expect to recruit?

The sample population for this study will comprise of college students in the College of Staten Island, from where primary data for the study will be collected. It is one of the leading institutions of tertiary education in the region, with a huge population of students. Most of the students are employed in neighbouring businesses within the city. The city is also a host to many organizations, including public and private as well as international and local firms in different industries.

Describe the source(s) of your participants and the selection criteria. Specifically, how will you obtain potential participants, and how will you contact them?

The research study will take place within the College of Staten Island, New York. As such, the main objective of this study is to find out whether employment status of students affects their academic performance. Therefore, the college students in The College of Staten Island (CSI) are the primary population being targeted by the study. Conversely, the final conclusion and recommendations will be generalized to address the challenges facing all students across the country who juggle between work and studies.

Will you be asking questions that might disturb your participants emotionally or produce stress and anxiety? If Yes what plans do you have to deal with this? For example, what support can be provided to them? If you intend to give participants a list of support services, please provide a copy with your application. Please note that in most circumstances, professionals who are being asked about their professional role and being offered anonymity and/or confidentiality would not be considered at risk of harm.

N/A

Do you consider any of your participants to be especially vulnerable and/or especially at risk of harm? If yes, what risks do you anticipate and how are you planning to deal with them? For example, a survivor of abuse may be at further risk from the perpetrator if they take an information sheet away with them.

N/A

Informed consent: what procedures will you follow to ensure all of your participants give informed consent? You should consider whether participants have the capacity to give informed consent, provide enough information so that consent is informed, and provide copies of any consent forms with your application. Where written consent is not possible this should be explained in detail.

Participation in this study is optional. Participants may also opt out of the study at any particular time during the process of providing data to the researcher. The participants will be required to sign in a consent form to accept to formally participate in the study before commending the process. The informed consent form will stipulate the procedure of the research, its scope, the expectations from each participant, the benefits, and challenges of the study among may other issues that can help the potential participants from the identified sample to make the right and informed decision to agree joining the study voluntarily.

Information for participants: what information will you be giving to participants? (E.g. letter of introduction, outline of projects aims etc.). Please attach copies of any such information to this form.

Each participant will be provided with relevant information about the study. This will include a summary of the study indicating the background, executive summary or abstract, the aims, and research questions. They will also be supplied with a consent form that will outline the procedure of the research, its scope, the expectations from each participant, the benefits, and challenges of the study among may other issues.

Researcher safety: Are there any potential risks to you in undertaking this research and how will you deal with them? Where will the fieldwork take place? Who will you notify with details of where and when you are doing the fieldwork? Will you take a cell phone? Note that you should not conduct research in someones home if you do not know them and are alone.

N/A

Data management:

How will the data you collect be stored? All identifiable electronic data should be stored on a computer or laptop that is password controlled and secure. Data should be anonymized as soon as possible and identifying files kept securely away from anonymized data. Unanonymized data should never be stored on a memory stick or digital recorder (obviously it may be necessary on your return journey from an interview). Any physical data such as paper files should be locked away in a secure draw or cabinet. Please tell us where this physical data will be stored and whether you have any concerns about security at this location.

The information collected through questionnaires will be recorded on the questionnaires while the interviews will be recorded for purposed of developing transcripts that will be used for further analysis. The transcripts as well as the audio recordings of the interviews will be emailed to the participants together with the findings of the study.

Data which is of a personal nature should be stored anonymously. How will you ensure that your data remains anonymous?

The personal data collected in this study will be properly coded and analyzed anonymously to help protect the confidentiality of the participants.

At the end of the project, what is the strategy for data management? At what stage will data be deleted and how will this be done? For example, erasing audio recordings, confidential shredding of paper waste etc.). Because the Department may require you to produce your data you should not destroy it until after your degree has been awarded.

At the end of the study, the data collected will be destroyed. The audio recordings and transcripts of the same will be shared with the participants together with the final report of the findings.

Additional Materials:

Please identify which of the following additional materials you have attached to this application:

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS:

Participant information sheet(s) Consent form(s) 1

Recruitment letters/posters/leaflets Photo method information sheet Photo method consent form Risk assessment form Support information for participant 3rd party confidentiality agreement Other information

SECTION THREE: Signatures

A. Student: I certify that the statements made in this request are accurate and complete, and if I receive approval for this project from my Professor I will conduct my research as stated. I further agree to inform my Professor in writing of any emergent problems or proposed procedural changes and that I will not proceed with the research until any proposed changes have been reviewed and approved.

... Date: ..B. Student Professor: I have reviewed this form and agree that: (please circle appropriate option)

1) it does not need to be submitted to CSIs Office for the Protection of Research Subjects and approval is given

2) advice has been sought from CSIs Office for the Protection of Research Subjects and approval given

3) it has been examined by CSIs Office for the Protection of Research Subjects and approval given

Date: .