SMILE
mainImage

Unit 4: Ethics

Research ethics: Informing participants 2graphic of questionmark and man

  • The time commitment expected from participants

  • The right to decline to offer any particular information requested by the researcher

  • The opportunity to withdraw from the study at any time with no adverse consequences

  • The opportunity to have any supplied data destroyed on request
    (up to a specified date)

  • Details of any risks associated with participation

  • If appropriate, a statement that payment for time and inconvenience associated with participation will be given, without specifying the amount or nature of the payment beyond the repayment of expenses such as travel costs

  • The name and contact details of the Principal Investigator

  • The name and contact details of another person who can receive enquiries about any matters which cannot be satisfactorily resolved with the Principal Investigator

  • Details of any insurance indemnity for the research

  • Any debriefing that is planned

  • How the data will be used and planned outcomes

  • Potential benefits of the research

  • How the results of the research will be made available to participants

Which of these headings are appropriate, and the extent of information given under each, will depend on the nature of the research. The language should be clear and accessible to people with limited literacy, using short words and sentences, written in the active voice, and avoiding the use of technical terms.
Give enough time for potential participants to absorb and consider the information about the research and what is expected of their participation before they are asked to make a decision about it.

Creative Commons License
SMILE - Ethics by The BPS code of human research ethics, The HPC guidance on conduct and ethics for students, modified by Marion Kelt Glasgow Caledonian University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at http://www.bps.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/code_of_human_research_ethics.pdf, http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10002D1BGuidanceonconductandethicsforstudents.pdf, http://www.gcal.ac.uk/hr/policies/general/code_of_good_practice_in_research.doc, http://www.gcu.ac.uk/registry/secretariat/documents/EthicsBookletMarch2011asonwebsite.doc.