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Approval

All research, funded or not, that involves the use of human subjects must be reviewed and certified as acceptable by the appropriate University Research Ethics Board.

This guide illustrates matters researchers should consider and therefore address. It is not a comprehensive check-list of points of ethical concern, but if your research involves any of the following:

  • A vulnerable or dependent population (e.g. children, mentally disabled)
  • Is there a situation where participants may feel obligated to take part, or participation may not be voluntary (e.g. students in a class, employees in their workplace, prisoners)
  • Deception
  • A survey / questionnaire
  • Interviews
  • Access to records that include personal information
  • Observing people
  • Any risk of creating psychological stress?
  • Any risk of identifying distressed or disturbed individuals?
  • Any risk to a participant's reputation?
  • Any risk that individuals or groups might suffer any economic loss by participating the study?
  • Any risk that individuals or groups might be stigmatized by participating in the study?
  • Any political or physical risk to a subject/researcher in an international setting (e.g. unauthorized contact with a foreigner)
  • Any risk to the participant arising from confidentiality (e.g. might the information gathered be of concern to a law enforcement agency?) or lack thereof?
  • Any risk to the participant flowing from lack of anonymity?
  • Is there remuneration/compensation paid to a participant?

You probably will have to submit an application for ethics review. If in doubt, consult with the Chair of either your local Faculty/Department Ethics Committee or the appropriate Research Ethics Board about the specifics of your research.

  • If you are an undergraduate or graduate student, contact the appropriate Faculty/Department Ethics Committee
  • If you are academic staff, post doctoral fellow or a research associate in the Faculties of Communication and Culture, Continuing Education, Education, Engineering, Environmental Design, Fine Arts, Haskayne School of Business, Humanities, Law, Science, Social Sciences or Social Work, contact:
  • If you are academic staff, post-doctoral fellow, or research associate in the Faculties of Kinesiology, Medicine or Nursing, or a physician or other health care professional in the Calgary Health Region or recruiting subjects wholly or substantially from a health care setting in the Health Care Region, contact:
    • Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board:
      Dr. Glenys Godlovitch, Chair, 210-9757 or 220-7990, ggodlovi@ucalgary.ca
      or Office of Medical Bioethics, 220-2297, chreb@ucalgary.ca, Fax (403)283-8524

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