Ethical opinion form for Faculty of Business and Law (BAL) taught undergraduate and postgraduate students (except MRes)
Instructions to student
The questions starting on the next page of this form should be completed by the student on relevant dissertation / project units requiring the completion of an ethics form, regardless of whether you are collecting primary or secondary data. Refer to the Guidance Notes that accompany this form and the ‘Research ethics – issues to consider’ checklist, also to be found as an appendix to the Guidance Notes, for help in completing the form. If you are not collecting primary data or data that are identifiable with individuals, then you still need to complete an ethics form, but only need to answer Qs 1-4, then Q11 and as many of the questions between Qs 12-20 as are relevant in your case. The completed form, and any supporting documentation you intend to issue to participants, should then be passed to the supervisor. If your supervisor is satisfied that your application is capable of review, the usual procedure is that he / she will send it to an appointed independent reviewer to decide whether ethical approval can be supported. The reviewer, in conjunction with the supervisor, is responsible for approving the ethical dimension of your project, although you may be asked to amend your documentation to the satisfaction of the reviewer before a favourable ethical opinion can be granted.
No data collection or recruitment of potential participants must be undertaken before a final version of this form has been approved.
A favourable ethical opinion means that, as long as you conduct the study in the way that has been agreed, then you have ethical approval. If you subsequently do something other than what has already been agreed, then you no longer have ethical approval and would face the appropriate penalty. If you need to apply for subsequent changes to your project after having been given initial ethical approval, please fill in an ‘Amendment’ at the end of this form and reapply via your supervisor.
If, following the completion of the review process, your supervisor and, where relevant, any independent reviewer is unwilling to grant you a favourable ethical opinion, you have a right of appeal to BAL Faculty Ethics Committee. If you wish to exercise this right, your supervisor should email the Faculty Ethics Administrator, stating your name, HEMIS no., the relevant unit and course, and briefly stating the grounds for requesting that BAL Faculty Ethics Committee review the decision. Your supervisor should attach your completed ethics form and any supplementary documentation and include any relevant correspondence about the case.
A final signed and dated version of this form must be included in the file of the dissertation you are required to submit electronically. The form MUST be signed and dated by 1) the student, 2) the supervisor and 3) the peer ethics reviewer (unless the University has specifically previously agreed that the supervisor alone can sign off). If the dissertation is submitted without a fully completed, signed and dated ethics form it will be deemed to be a fail. Second attempt assessment may be permitted by the Board of Examiners.
1. What are the objectives of the dissertation / research project?
How 5G Technology Will Contribute to the Realisation of Smart City
2. Does the research involve NHS patients, resources or staff? NO
3. Does the research involve MoD staff? NO
4. Do you intend to collect primary data from human subjects or data that are identifiable with individuals? (This includes, for example, questionnaires and interviews.) NO
If you do not intend to collect such primary data then please go to question 11.
If you do intend to collect such primary data then please respond to ALL the questions from Q5 onwards. If you feel a question does not apply then please respond with ‘n/a’ (for ‘not applicable’).
5 How will the primary data contribute to the objectives of the dissertation / research project?
6. What is/are the survey population(s)?
7. a) How big is the sample for each of the survey populations, and b) how was this sample arrived at? (Please answer both parts of this question.)
8. How will respondents be a) identified and b) recruited? (Please answer both parts of this question.)
9. What steps are proposed to ensure that the requirements of informed consent will be met for those taking part in the research? If an Information Sheet for participants is to be used, please attach it to this form. If not, please explain how you will be able to demonstrate that informed consent has been gained from participants.
10. How will data be collected from each of the sample groups?
11. a) How will data be stored and b) what will happen to the data at the end of the research? (Please answer both parts of this question.)
a) Data confidentiality was maintained using synonyms with raw information being stored in a password protected computer.
b) It recommends that collected data should be stored for between 5 and 7 years before being deleted or being permanently destroyed. Thus, backing up raw data into Google Drive will ensure that raw data is securely stored for up to 7 years before being deleted.
12. What measures will be taken to prevent unauthorised persons gaining access to the data, and especially to data that may be attributed to identifiable individuals?
The raw data was backed up into Google Drive using a secure email account to ensure future access to data if the researcher’s personal computer is stolen or damaged.
13. What steps are proposed to safeguard the anonymity of the respondents?
To avoid revealing the identity of the participants, the researcher will avoid collecting personal information such as name, specific place of work, and place of residence. All participant details were coded and kept confidential.
14. Are there any risks (physical or other, including reputational) to respondents that may result from taking part in this research? NO
15. Are there any risks (physical or other, including reputational) to the researcher or to the University that may result from conducting this research? NO
16. Will any data be obtained from a company or other organisation? NO
17. What steps are proposed to ensure that the requirements of informed consent will be met for any organisation in which data will be gathered? How will confidentiality be assured for the organisation?
Firstly, before starting the data collection process, the researcher obtained ethical approval from the relevant institutional review board (IRB). Secondly, the researcher obtained the informed consent form the organisations. Finally, the researcher used data that the organizations have made public.
18. Does the organisation have its own ethics procedure relating to the research you intend to carry out? NO
19. Will the proposed research involve any of the following (please put a √ next to ‘yes’ or ‘no’; consult your supervisor if you are unsure):
• Potentially vulnerable groups (e.g. adults unable to consent, children)? YES NO √
• Particularly sensitive topics? YES NO √
• Access to respondents via ‘gatekeepers’? YES NO √
• Use of deception? YES NO √
• Access to confidential personal data (names, addresses, etc)? YES NO √
• Psychological stress, anxiety, etc.? YES NO √
• Intrusive interventions? YES NO √
If answers to any of the above are “YES”, please explain below how you intend to minimise the associated risks.
20. Are there any other ethical issues that may arise from the proposed research?