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Research and Business Engagement

Preparing an ethics application

All guidance information on preparing an ethics application can now be found in our Preparing an Ethics Application Digital Handbook. This handbook will guide you through the main components of an ethics application and provide University specific guidance to help you prepare your various supporting documents. It also provides bespoke advice for some of the more commonly explored themes of research. 

The handbook is formed of two main parts. The first part (sections 1-5) focuses on key aspects of an ethics application and the associated advice or guidance one may need to complete those sections of the form. The second part (sections 6-12) focuses on research themes that one may encounter when planning a project and provides bespoke advice one should consider when planning a project involving that particular theme. It has been constructed in this way to enable the user to dip in and out of the material at their leisure and locate specific information quickly, whether via the ethics application itself or more broadly, a specific theme.

Sections 1-5 include advice on:

  • Methodology
  • Ethical issues and risks
  • Informed consent
  • Recruitment
  • Data protection

Sections 6-12 cover the following research themes:

  • Research with children
  • Overseas research
  • Research involving disclosures
  • Social media and CCTV research
  • Ethnography
  • Collaborations and external approvals
  • Stakeholder/patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE)

The handbook also has a search function to enable you to easily find relevant content. To access this please open the handbook and click 'begin handbook' or select any of the chapter headings and you will then see the search bar in the top left hand corner, illustrated by a magnigying glass icon. 

To be helpful, we have also provided direct links to key documents in the various sub menus below.

Participant Information Sheets

University Templates for Participant Information Sheets

University Research Privacy Notices

Easy Access Participant Information Sheet and Privacy Notice

Informed Consent

University Templates for Consent Forms/Scripts

Research with Children

Guidance on Collaborations and Changes to Sponsorship

Collaborations

Guidance on Collaborative Projects Between UoM and Other Higher Education Institutions or External Companies/Organisations

For enquiries as to whether your study requires any form of contractual arrangement (i.e. collaborative agreement, data sharing agreement or material transfer agreement), please speak with a member of the University's Contracts Team.

Data Management and Protection

Data Management Plans

For more information on preparing a Data Management Plan please visit the University's website. 

Use the DMPonline system to prepare your data management plan.

If you need any additional advice or support on completing your data management plan, please use the DMP Online system to ask for feedback on your plan from colleagues in the library (researchdata@manchester.ac.uk) and Information Governance office (information.governance@manchester.ac.uk).

Recordings

If you will be collecting audio/video recordings or photographs as part of your study please ensure you read the Guidance on Recordings information located on the research ethics website.

Guidance for Students

Please visit the Data Management section of our website (Guidance for Students sub menu) for detailed information about data collection and storage requirements for students.

Survey Tools

The Information Governance Office provide detailed survey tool guidance.

Social Media

For all information related to social media research and ethical requirements both for recruitment purposes as well as data collection, please read the guidance 

Use of third-party apps or social media platforms for data collection 

Use of a third-party app or social media platform as a data collection tool can raise significant privacy and security issues for the University. Any use of such tools, beyond using them to promote/advertise a research study, should be referred to the Information Governance Office for advice, ahead of your submission for research ethics approval.

The Information Governance Office cannot give blanket approval or say that use of a specific software is prohibited, as it depends on the context in which it is used. The IGO may authorise the use of software in particular circumstances for a particular research project but the only ‘approved’ systems would be those managed and supported by IT Services.  

When contacting the Information Governance Office, please provide your DMP that must include clear descriptive details about your data collection and processing plans. Please then append a copy of any IGO advice received to your ethics application for review by the Committee.

Distress Policies and Debrief Sheets

Please see below for examples of distress policies and debrief sheets which you can modify for use in your own research study:

Fieldwork / Risk Assessment / Lone Working

All researchers should familiarise themselves with the guidance on the expectations of risk assessment prior to ethical approval

If you will be conducting fieldwork as part of your research project you must ensure you have completed and signed a risk assessment form appropriate to the location in which you will be travelling and appended this to your ethics application. If you are a student, the risk assessment must be signed by your supervisor and should be completed under their guidance. Please ensure you contact your relevant School Administrator for detailed information on fieldwork requirements for your School.

Generic Risk Assessment form and corresponding guidance on completion

If you require additional advice on completing your risk assessment form or guidance on lone working procedures, please contact your School Safety Advisor (SSA) or other relevant H&S colleagues within your School:

As part of your ethics application you will need to confirm that you have read and understood the University’s Lone Working Policy and for full UREC applications will be required to prepare a personalised lone working policy which outlines how you plan on keeping yourself safe for the duration of data collection. 

Example applications

With the kind permission of some former UREC applicants, we have shared a small number of previously submitted ethics applications below as an example of good practice when completing the UREC form. The applications are clear and concise with responses that have the appropriate levels of detail to enable the Committee to form an ethical judgement on the proposals. The same principles in terms of completeness and level of detail can also be applied to those submitting applications for Department/Division/School review.

Please note, these applications have been shared to help embed a culture of good research practice and must not be copied or used for current or future applications without the explicit, written permission of the owners.