Based on the General Research Ethics Board Policy Document

Last Revised by EREB 12/06/2013

EREB Checklist of Essential Elements for COMPLETENESS

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

In order to initiate the ethics clearance process for students, full thesis/dissertation proposals must have been read and accepted by all committee members (proposed project research must have been accepted by the supervisor). EREB will not review an application without this confirmation by the supervisor. If you are a student, your supervisor must sign the statement at the end of the EREB checklist confirming that your full proposal has been read and accepted by all committee members AND that he or she has read and approved the ethics application.

If you are a student, you must complete the online Course on Research Ethics (CORE) before you file an application for ethics clearance. When you complete the course you will be provided with a certificate that you must attachto your application. A link to CORE can be found at

The EREB checklist contains the required components for inclusion in the letter of information and consent form. Read the checklist BEFORE you write these parts of your application.

Examples of Letters of Information and Consent Forms can be found at Photo Consent Forms and Video Consent forms can also be found there. Other helpful examples and forms are located at

The application will be completed through ROMEO, the online ethics application system. You must also scan and upload the EREB checklist with the requisite signatures to ROMEO with your application.

The completed application must be submitted to ROMEO by 4:30pm of the monthly deadline (monthly deadlines are listed here: Once the file has been submitted to ROMEO, it cannot be edited until revisions have been requested by EREB.

You will receive feedback on your application and an outline of next steps from a member of EREB within several days of the EREB meeting.

EREB CHECKLIST

Name:

Date:

Type of Research: Faculty__ Thesis__ Thesis Pilot__ Project__ IN Study__ Course Based__

Research Title:

EREB CHECKLIST / YES / N/A
  1. In the case of all graduate student research (including pilot studies, independent studies, projects, theses, and dissertations), the supervisor has read and approved the ethics application. The supervisor has signed the confirmation statement on the last page of this checklist.

  1. In the case of a Master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation, the supervisor confirms that the full thesis or dissertation proposal has been accepted by the committee. The supervisor has signed the confirmation statement on the last page of this checklist.

  1. Two-page proposal (only two pages + references), which includes connection of proposed research to existing research in the field (citations in text) and all other sections (in brief) you would expect in a research proposal. (attach in ROMEO)

  1. Applicant hasread the application instructions, as described in A Guide to Obtaining Ethics Clearance for Research in Education.

  1. Letter of Information for participants; see Items 8-26 (attach in ROMEO)

  1. Consent Form(may be combined with Letter of Information); see Items 27-31(attach in ROMEO)

  1. Samples of all recruitment scripts and data collection instruments (attach in ROMEO)

LETTER OF INFORMATION AND CONSENT FORM (may be combined):
  1. Project Title

  1. Identities of researchers and institutions

  1. States (usually in the first paragraph): “This study has been granted clearance according to the recommended principles of Canadian ethics guidelines and Queen’s policies.”

  1. Aims and procedures, requirements of participant and purpose of the procedures, in a language that will be comprehensible to the participants or their parents/guardians.

  1. Estimate of total time, frequency, and overall duration of procedures, including follow-ups.

  1. Description of risks, discomforts, inconvenience or statement of no known risks.

  1. Statesthat participation is voluntary,and that the participant is free to withdraw at any time, with no negative consequences. (Please specify the perceived consequences that may be of concern, for example: school standing, relationship to the investigator, professional standing, access to resources, or patient care)

  1. If appropriate, states that the researcher will maintain confidentiality/privacy/anonymity (select one) “to the extent possible.”

  1. Statesthe procedure for participants who wish to withdraw (e.g., who to contact).

  1. Statesthat if participant withdraws, the participant may request removal of all or part of his or her data. (Select N/A if data arecollected anonymously).

  1. Recording devices to be used are described (audio, video, photo).

  1. States that participants are not obliged to answer any objectionable or discomforting questions.

  1. Describes who has access to the data (e.g., researcher and supervisor).

  1. States how the results of the study may be disseminated.

  1. Includes a statement regarding data storage and deletion. (For faculty research, state that in accordance with the Faculty of Education’s policy, data will be retained for a minimum of five years).

  1. States that if data are used for secondary analysis they will contain no identifying information.

  1. Description of remuneration.

  1. For faculty only: The following wording is used in the last paragraph: Any questions about study participation may be directed to <Principal Investigator’s name> at <telephone & email>. Any ethical concerns about the study may be directed to the Chair of the General Research Ethics Board at 613-533-6081 or .

  1. For graduate students only: The following wording is used in the last paragraph: Any questions about study participation may be directed to <graduate student’s name> at <email > or my supervisor <name> at <telephone & email>. Any ethical concerns about the study may be directed to the Chair of the General Research Ethics Board at 613-533-6081 or .

Consent Form Portion (whether combined or separate)
  1. Statesthat the participant has read and retained a copy of the Letter of Information/Consent Form and has had any questions answered.

  1. Specific consent is sought for each type of recording (audio, video, photo).

  1. States in bold text: “Please sign one copy of this Consent Form and return to [name]. Retain the second copy for your records.”

  1. Includes spaces for parent/guardian name & signature (if applicable), participant’s name & signature, and the date.

  1. If applicable, includes a space where participants can provide email or postal address if he or she requests a copy of the results of the study.

For all graduate student research

As the supervisor of the research described in this application, I confirm that I have read the full ethics application, including all forms and attachments.

______

Supervisor Name and SignatureDate

If this is thesis/dissertation research (excluding pilot studies)

As the supervisor of the student applicant, I confirm that the student’s full thesis/dissertation proposal has been accepted by all committee members.

______

Supervisor Name and SignatureDate