Ethics Approval

The key principles to research (Bell 2010; Denscombe, 2010; Flick, 2007) are:

• Respect for the person
• Beneficence
• Justice

Respect for the person includes inf­­­­ormed consent, no deception, individuals privacy respected and accurate reporting of findings. Beneficence means that the research should do good and consider the wellbeing for the participant. Justice looks at the balance between the benefits and burdens to the participant and the benefits should outweigh any burdens.

For my research I will include a cover page on the survey detailing what it is about and what I am looking to cover in the questionnaire. By doing the survey after reviewing this information the participant will be opting in to the study. For the focus groups I will devise a consent form based on Denscombe (2010:P333) template which they and I will sign and copies will be kept by both parties. I will need to gain permission from the Training Manager, the Head of Human Resources and Information Technology area to undertake this research in the Department. Both the Training manager and Head of Human Resources would be considered gate keepers to the Department.

 

Submission Process

Although I did not believe that my research would require Ethics Committee Approval I agreed to go through the process in case I publish my paper and it would be needed then.

 

I started to filling in the forms in September, there were more than I thought. I had to complete the following forms:

• Ethics Form
• Appendix 1
• Appendix 2
• Appendix 13
• Line Managers Questionnaire
• Focus Group questions
• Participant consent forms
• Site access approval

Although I am completing the research in my work place I though Appendix 13 – Fieldwork should not be needed. However it was explained to me that as the research is not being conducted in a DIT campus it is classed as field work. I completed and included it in my submission.

The forms were submitted for the October 2014 Ethic Committee meeting. I had typed my name in the signature box and advised that would be sufficient, however the forms were returned requesting a signature. I signed the forms, scanned them and return by email. They were then submitted to the December 2014 Ethics Committee meeting. that meeting was rescheduled to January 2015.

The approval was given via Chairs Action early in January 2015.

Please see documents listed below: (click icon in bottom right for full screen)

References

Bell J., (2010), Doing your research project: a guide for first-time researchers in education, health and social science, Open University Press, Maidenhead.

Denscombe M., (2010), Title The good research guide: for small-scale social research projects 4th Edition, Maidenhead, Open University Press, 2010.

Flick U., (2007), Designing qualitative research, SAGE, London.