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Part 1 of 3: Tips for Completing the Research Ethics Board (REB) Application


 

Another topic requested in the survey I sent out in December is how to fill out the REB application, so that’s the topic for today, but it’s too big a topic to approach in one post, so parts 2 and 3 will be in the next 2 editions!

My first tip is to make sure you use the latest application form for research involving humans (you can find it either on the main page or on ICE) and also use the templates which are available on ICE (e.g., consent form). It’s always a good idea to go to one of these locations to retrieve the most recent version of the forms as they are updated periodically. Also, for full disclosure, I am a member of the REB (2012-present). These are my personal opinions and following my advice does not guarantee any particular outcome during the review process.

Now on the specific sections of the application. For Section 3.0, it seems fairly straightforward to enter dates, but it often requires revisions. Ensure that you give yourself enough time between the application submission (and potential revisions required by the REB) and your proposed start date. Also, if you have any funding tied to your research, the funding can’t expire before you plan to complete your research).

For location (Section 3.4), think about how many “sites” you’ll be visiting to recruit and collect data. For example, if you’re going to be at the OnTech campus and the Durham College Oshawa campus, you will consider this to be 2 sites since there are two separate institutions (even if they share one geographic location), but collecting data in multiple rooms in different buildings on our campus (e.g., the B-Wing and in the CFCE) would only be considered one site. Online surveys are considered to be using only one location even though people could be answering the survey from anywhere. For Section 3.5, if you’re limiting your data-collection to our School (IS), then Stephanie can provide he approval.

In Section 3.6, the REB wants to ensure that at least one person in your research team has the expertise required to conduct the research safely and ethically. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to have a lot (or any) previous research experience, only that you have enough knowledge about the topic you are investigating (and maybe some common sense, too!). Other than completing the TCPS2, you may have engaged in PD related to research which can also help you make the case that you are qualified to conduct this research. Your teaching experience can also be important to note if it’s relevant to your project (e.g., SoTL). If you completed a Master’s degree, for example, you may have taken a course on research design even if you didn’t complete a research study for your thesis. You may have also contributed to other research projects, such as helping your advisor or a colleague collect data. And, even if you are the Principal Investigator (PI) on the application, other team members may provide additional expertise (e.g., you know the topic of your investigation and someone else on your team has more research expertise).

The Background (Section 4.1) component of the application is going to be the longest (but not too long!) because you are convincing the REB that the outcomes of your research will provide some value. This is because, even if you are not harming participants with your research per se, wasting their time is a type of harm. So, if the study is a waste of time (because you won’t gain any useful information from it), the REB has a duty to protect participants from it. In this section, be sure to also outline the literature are you basing your hypotheses on explain your research questions. (Note: I have postponed discussing Participants (Section 4.2) to my next post.)

When you think about recruitment (Section 4.3), also keep in mind how you will minimize the risk of coercion. For example, offering a student $100 to answer a 60-minute survey is not appropriate, but that incentive would be appropriate for a professional whose hourly wage would be comparable (Section 4.6). Similarly, if you are recruiting your own students, try to minimize even perceived coercion- you will obviously not be coercing your students to participate in your study, but could it appear that way to someone else? In this case, it would be better to have someone other than you recruit your students (e.g., research assistant or colleague) whenever possible. 

Next time, I’ll continue with my tips for the rest of the application. Remember this is part 1 of 3, so there is lots more to learn! As always, if you have any suggestions for things you’d like to see from me, please reach out to me via email lynne(dot)kennette(at)durhamcollege(dot)ca or on MS Teams, or pop in during my weekly “office hours” on whereby(dot)com(slash)drlynne (every Friday from 12:30-1:30). 

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