Research ethics policy and procedures

Policy

All research in the Department is subject to ethics review procedures. The aim of this statement is to make sure that all staff and students planning to undertake research give consideration to the ethical issues that might arise.

The procedures outlined below are designed to meet the University's Code of Practice on Research Ethics. Data should be handled in a manner compliant with both the Data Protection and the Freedom of Information Acts.

Code of Practice on Research Ethics (Research Office website)

It is the responsibility of individual researchers to consider any possible ethical or legal implications of research that they are undertaking; and the joint responsibility of supervisors and students to consider these together.

Any research activity that involves human participants should be conducted in a respectful manner. Ethical dilemmas tend to arise in relation to the following issues in the fields of political science:

Confidentiality:

Confidentiality is what should be promised if anonymity cannot be maintained and should be assumed if you cannot guarantee anonymity. This requires that you guarantee that no one will be individually identifiable in any way if it is their express wish that their identity is not revealed in any published research output.

Anonymity:

If promises of anonymity are made to research respondents then it is essential that these are fulfilled.

Informed Consent:

Participants in research should be informed of the purpose of the research project and the main uses to which research materials will be put. In the case of interviewees, permission to reproduce direct quotations ought to be obtained from participants. You should strive to be as honest and open with participants as possible, and not expose them to any unnecessary risks when conducting your research.

Procedures for applying

Staff planning to undertake a new piece of research must consider ethics and consult the various guidelines and forms at an early stage of the development of a project. All new projects undertaken by staff will require ethics approval. This can be obtained by completing a Research Ethics form, downloadable on the right.

You should send this form by email to the ethics administrator, Margaret Holder.

email : m.holder@sheffield.ac.uk

Ethics approval is also required for all students (by downloading the form on the right) Supervisors of Level 3 and PGT dissertations and projects, as well as postgraduate research students need to ensure that the guidelines are adhered to by students under their guidance.

The Director of Research in the Department is available to offer advice on these issues.

Procedures for reviewing

If the project is not ESRC funded your form will be sent to three ethics reviewers within the Department, who will complete a Research Ethics Review form.

In cases where no ethical issues arise, applicants will be informed of this. And in cases where they do, the Director of Research may consult with the Department's Ethics Review Panel before responding to the applicant about whether a research project needs to be altered in any way.

If the project is ESRC funded (including PGT and PGR students in receipt of an ESRC award) your form will be sent to two ethics reviewers within the Department and one external reviewer, who will complete a Research Ethics Review form.

Applicants may appeal decisions to the Department's Ethics Review panel, and, if necessary, to the University's Research Ethics Committee (UREC) in line with the University procedures.

An annual report, in response to the UREC call, on ethics scrutiny will be produced by the Director of Research.