Application

Applicants must read and follow the University of Dundee Code of Practice for Non-Clinical Research on Human Participants . The University has agreed that all Research Projects involving human participants must have appropriate ethical approval before they begin. ‘Research Project’ shall mean the collection of data from and about human participants or their behaviour in order to further knowledge. Data can be collected experimentally, by questionnaire, by interview, observationally, by computer, telephone, over the Internet, or by any other means of recording human behaviour. Data collected for the audit of administration or teaching (e.g. questionnaires designed to obtain feedback on teaching performance) do not need ethical approval as long as there is no intention to publish research based upon data collected in this way. A Researcher who is unsure whether a proposed project is research or not should contact the Chair of the UREC, Dr Astrid Schloerscheidt, for advice.

The UREC Application Form can be downloaded and completed electronically UREC Application Form. One printed and signed copy of the form should be sent to Mrs Elizabeth Evans in the School of Psychology, University of Dundee, Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN. Undergraduate and postgraduate students must have the printed form signed by their supervisor. In addition, an electronic copy of the Application Form and electronic copies of all other documents should be sent as email attachments to Mrs Elizabeth Evans

The following documents should be submitted electronically, together with the application form:

Approval Procedure

There are three routes to possible approval, depending on the information given on the form. 

  1. If any of the answers to Questions 10-12 is “Yes” then the proposal will be referred to the full Committee. Note that research involving any form of deception is particularly problematic, and a full explanation of why deceit is necessary, why there are no acceptable alternative approaches not involving deceit, and the scientific justification for deceit must be provided in the Study Protocol.
  2. If any of the answers to Questions 1-9 is “No”, but the researcher considers the research to be ethically non-problematical, the researcher must explain in the Study Protocol the reasons for the “No” answers and why there are no ethical difficulties. The Chair may then deal with the proposal by Chair’s action, or may decide to refer it to the Committee.
  3. If the answers to Questions 1-9 on the form are all “Yes” or “Not applicable”, and the answers to Questions 10-12 are all “No” or “Not applicable”, then the Chair of the Committee will usually deal with the proposal on Chair’s Action.

At least three members of the Committee (including the Chair) will read any proposal referred to the full Committee. The Committee provides written comments on the application. The Chair of the Committee makes the final decision based upon the Committee’s comments. The applicant is informed by email of the decision, and given any feedback. The decision is one of:

  1. Accept without conditions
  2. Accept with conditions
  3. Recommend submission to another committee (e.g. Tayside NHS REC)
  4. Revise and resubmit (with conditions)
  5. Reject (with reasons)

Researchers should note that the decision ‘accept with conditions’ does not mean that the application has been approved.  If the decision is ‘accept with conditions’, the Researcher must write to the Chair of the Committee explaining how the conditions will be met. Approval will be given if the explanations are accepted. 

When an application has been approved, the Researcher will receive a pdf copy of an approval letter. The research may be started only after the approval letter has been issued. Researchers should notify the Chair of the UREC if a printed and signed copy of the approval letter is required. Researchers must retain a copy of the email confirming Ethical Approval, along with the approval letter. 

The UREC aims to provide a decision within three weeks from submission during semester time, but applications may take longer during vacation time.

Study Duration

The normal duration of a study is up to 3 years, and in exceptional cases up to 5 years. Justification must be provided if ethical approval is required for a duration that is longer than 5 years.

Changes to approved studies

Approval of a study applies only to the submitted documents and the agreed Study Protocol. If Researchers wish to make any subsequent changes, no matter how minor, then they must notify the Chair of the UREC in writing or by email. Most changes can be approved by Chair’s Action as amendments to the original application, and an amendment approval letter will be issued. Extensions to the study duration will be considered provided that the total duration does not exceed 5 years. If the extension exceeds this limit, then a new application must be made.

Ethical standards

All Researchers must abide by the University of Dundee Code of Practice for Non-Clinical Research on Human Participants . The University may audit projects to ensure that ethical standards are being maintained.  Researchers should also follow the guidelines of other relevant bodies. 

Examples include the British Psychological Society Code of Human Research Ethics, and the ESRC Research Ethics Guidebook.

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