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Department of History

Ethical Approval for Research

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Ethics in Research

The University requires departments to consider the ethical implications of the students’ research. We will ask you to fill in a form and submit it together with your dissertation proposal. It is not acceptable to submit a blank form. If any ethical issues are identified, you will need to supply the PGT Director with an appropriate written description of the scope of the project, and a formal record of the decision to grant ethical approval will be kept in the departmental office.

In most 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), or confidential data (perhaps medical records might be among your sources), prior ethical approval will be required.

Any concerns you have about the ethics of your MA Dissertation research should be discussed with your Supervisor in the first instance, but you may also seek advice from the PGT Director.

If it is decided by your supervisor or the PGT Director that Ethical approval is required, students should complete the Taught MA Ethics Review form and e-mail it to the PGT Director cc’d to PGhistoryoffice@warwick.ac.uk.

The form will be reviewed by a panel of academic staff and students will be notified within 7 working days of the outcome of the review.

 

Do you need ethics approval?

Looking through this checklist will help you to know whether you are required to seek ethics approval for your research.

You are advised to discuss your project, methods and ethical issues with your module tutor or dissertation supervisor BEFORE looking at this checklist.

If you are required to submit an Ethics Review Form, you should not begin your research until your form has been approved by the PGT Course Director

  1. Does your intended research include any of the following methodologies?

  • Interviews or oral histories
  • Questionnaires or surveys
  • Analysis of any kind of social media
  • Ethnography or observation
  • Any other methodology that involves live human participants or their data?

If you said yes to any of the above, then you will require ethics approval for your project. Please complete the History Department Ethics Review Form.

For further guidance on issues to consider when using social media in your research, see https://www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_487729_smxx.pdf

  1. 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

If you said yes to any of the above, please note that you may need additional approval from the university for your research. Please complete the History Department Ethics Review Form, and the PGT Course Director will advise if further approval is necessary. Please note that approval may take some time, so ensure that you seek ethics approval well in advance of beginning your research.

  1. Will your research require any travel or take place in any “high risk” locations?
  • A foreign country (especially if 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"

If you said yes to any of the above, please note that you may need additional approval from the university for your research. Please complete the History Department Ethics Review Form, and the PGT Course Director will advise if further approval is necessary. Please note that approval may take some time, so ensure that you seek ethics approval well in advance of beginning your research.

If you said no to all of the above, then you are not required to seek formal ethics approval for your project. If your answers to any of the above questions change, you will require ethics approval for your project.

If you are required to submit an Ethics Review Form, you should not begin your research until your form has been approved by the PGT Course Director.

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