Ethical Reviews
Does your research require ethical review? As a JRA, you are expected to consider any ethical concerns raised by your research, and take the necessary steps needed to address them.
Every academic discipline has its own code of ethics, which function as a set of norms indicating what researchers should and should not do. Following best ethical practice will maximise the value and impact of your research.
The purpose of ethics is not to stop or halt your research but rather to ensure that all research is undertaken responsibly, with the utmost care and caution shown to those potentially affected by it.
Neglecting to consider ethical implications will not only affect the value of your findings but, crucially, could also cause significant harm to your subjects, and to the larger public your research might potentially impact. Undertaking research without ethical approval will be considered as misconduct, and the University will take no responsibility for your study, so it's important that you take all the necessary precautions.
The Code of Practice for Research sets out the standards that the University expects of all of its researchers and what it considers to be research misconduct.
Below are some key questions regarding ethics.
- Does my research require ethical review?
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If your research requires ethical review, it is important that you start the process as soon as possible, giving yourself enough time to submit a review application and to make any revisions that might be requested. Some research will require a minimum of 6-8 weeks to gain ethics approval. Being prepared through seeking advice will allow you to commence your project on time. Students may apply for ethical review in anticipation of submitting an application for a JRA award- this is recommended- however you must have the support of a supervisor to go through the ethical review process.
If you are planning to conduct research overseas, it is essential that you obtain ethical approval before you travel.
The first thing to do is to take a look at Sussex's self-assessment checklist. If you answer 'yes' to any of the questions on this checklist, some form of ethical review will be needed, and you must not commence your research until have you have been granted ethical approval.
If, after reading the checklist, you are still uncertain as to whether your project requires ethical review, you can contact your Supervisor, your School Research Ethics Officer (SREO) or the Research Governance Office (rgoffice@sussex.ac.uk) for further advice.
- What type of ethical review do I need?
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Undergraduate and postgraduate taught research at Sussex is reviewed by an SREO within your School. Your project will be classified as either 'low risk' or 'high risk'. If your application is low risk, your project will be reviewed by your Supervisor and an SREO. If you application is high risk, your project will be reviewed by your Supervisor, an SREO, plus one F-REC member.
The risk level is determined by answers to the initial checklist on Ethics RM (the online ethical review application system). To determine whether your project will be 'low risk' or 'higher risk', you should refer to the nine-point checklist on Sussex's 'Overview of ethical review processes' page.
Once you know the risk level of your product, you can begin to fill an application form on Ethics RM.
If you are able to answer 'yes' to all nine questions in the nine-point checklist, then the project is assumed to be low risk.
If you are unable to answer 'yes' to all nine questions in the checklist, then your project may be regarded as high risk. In this case, you will need to provide additional information about the risks identified for your project, including a description of the risk itself and how the risk will be mitigated. You can find the complete set of risk questions here.
In some instances, researchers can make a case that a project with one or more ‘yes’ responses is in fact low risk. This should be discussed with your supervisor. Please note that the SREO may not agree with your justification for a low risk project.
- Applying for ethical review
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You can access the online ethical review application system via Ethics RM. An overview of the online ethical review system's functionality can be found in the User Guide for Ethics RM. You can find extensive guidance, along with helpful downloadable resources, on our online Research Governance and Integrity pages.
For further information, please consult our Ethics A-Z which includes additional guidance on Research Ethics, as well as links to our template forms and SREO contact details for each F-REC.
If you have any further questions, contact your School Research Ethics Officer (SREO) or the Research Governance Office (rgoffice@sussex.ac.uk).