Ethics in Research (and Ethical Review Form)

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Ethics in Research
- Ethical Review Form
- Humanities & Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee (HSSREC)
Do you need external ethical approval?

Ethics in Research

This page deals with the ethics of research practices, especially those involving live subjects i.e. what risks and dangers the research poses to the researcher, subjects and institutions, as addressed in the Research Code of Practice.

The University requires departments to consider the ethical implications of the students’ research. It has created a bespoke Introduction to Research Ethics module on Moodle, which explains the Warwick processes and policies. Once you have looked through this, we urge you and your supervisor(s) to consider any ethical implications early on in year 1 (ideally before the formal review meeting for M4C in February and for other students in the summer term), in case a formal committee approval process is needed.

We will ask you to fill in an History PGR Ethical Review FormLink opens in a new window for your upgrade and submit it together with your dissertation proposal. It is not acceptable to submit a blank form. The form will be discussed at the upgrade and, if your reviewers feel that there are no (or only minor) ethical considerations, a formal record of the decision to grant ethical approval will be kept in the departmental office. This represents our internal ethics review process.

Note that M4C funded students should also complete an Ethical Review FormLink opens in a new window in their first year, even though this is not a formal requirement of the M4C funding or Mid-Year review. The Ethical Review Form is still a Departmental requirement of the official MPhil to PhD upgrade process and should be completed as part of your first M4C mid-year review.

History PGR Ethical Review FormLink opens in a new window

In cases where you and your supervisors think there may be significant ethical issues to be considered it is good practice to work through the departmental form and the checklist below at the start of your research. Early discussion of ethical issues will help your project design and minimise the risk of having to reconfigure your plans at a later stage.

Humanities & Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee (HSSREC)

In many historical research projects, there will be no ethical implications, but in cases where your research involves human participants (perhaps involving interviews and the collection of oral histories), confidential data (perhaps medical records might be among your sources) or other sensitive aspects, prior ethical approval by an external university body – known as the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee HSSREC – will be required. HSSREC is responsible for overseeing processes and procedures within the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences.

How to apply for HSSREC approvalLink opens in a new window

Do you need external ethical approval?

Looking through this checklist will help you to know whether you are required to seek external ethics approval for your research. This is just for illustration, the full / latest guidelines can be found on the webpages of Warwick’s Research and Impact Services.

As a general rule, you should not begin any ethically sensitive aspects of your research until your approach has been approved internally (at your upgrade) or by HSSREC (if external review is required). Please note that the latter may take some time.

1. Does your intended research involve human participants, their data and/or tissue (which may include data of deceased individuals)?

2. Does your intended research involve analysis of social media?

In this context, you may find it helpful to check Social Media Research: A Guide to Ethics produced by the University of Aberdeen as well as Warwick's Ethical Approval Guide for Using Social Media.

3. Does your intended research involve any of the following groups or their data?

NHS patients, staff, or facilities
Children aged under 16
Vulnerable adults (those who may be unable to give informed consent or are in a dependent position)
People engaged in criminal or illegal activities (including visiting websites even if there is no direct contact with individuals)
Terrorist or extremist organisations (including visiting websites even if there is no direct contact with individuals)
Ministry of Defence personnel

4. Will your research require any travel or take place in any “high risk” locations?

A foreign country where there is a travel warning in place
Anywhere where you might put yourself at personal risk by visiting or with which you are unfamiliar
Any other location you think might be "high risk"

Department of History

Ethics in Research (and Ethical Review Form)

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