Research Coordinator Blog

  Research projects that would fall under secondary use are those which utilize previously-collected data to answer a new research question. Before the research can begin, the Research Ethics Board (REB) will need to review your proposed research. Using old data to answer new questions has a number of advantages, such as not wasting resources (e.g., time) re-collecting information. Additionally, for some new researchers, this approach can seem less daunting than undertaking a standard research project involving collecting new data. What types of research questions lend themselves to this type of data? Here are some examples: Many scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) questions can be answered using secondary data (i.e., using student performance data form the previous semesters you have taught). For example, you may be wondering if your students prefer your class taught hybrid, face-to-face or online. If you have taught the same course in all three delivery modes, you may...

  In previous issues, I have addressed the forms required for secondary use of data as well as how, in some cases, participants’ consent may not be required for secondary use projects. This week, I will define what a secondary use research project really is (to be continued in the next issue). In future articles, I will detail how to complete the secondary use REB form, section by section. So, what differentiates a secondary use research project from a traditional research project? The short answer is: when the data were collected. If you are proposing to collect data from participants during your study, then you’re not engaged in a research project that would fall under secondary use. If the data have already been collected, and you simply plan to use those previously-collected data in order to answer your research question, then you’d fall in the secondary use category. Essentially, a project that falls under secondary use involves harnessing past data for new research. Where do ...

In December, I asked for your feedback in a quick two-question survey. Thank you for providing it. This was one of the suggested topics :) The goal of your research project is to answer one or more research questions (typically 1-2 questions, which may have related sub-questions, also termed secondary research questions). So, your question needs to be narrow enough to focus your research project. You can always explore additional questions that come up (using the same data) at a later time using the secondary use of research process with the REB. Your specific research question will depend somewhat on the type of research you are conducting (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods), but in general, you’ll want it to specify the specific issue you are investigating and ensure it is answerable. A quantitative project might have a research question that begins with How frequently…, How many…, What percentage…, To what extent…, or What are… A qualitative research question might ...

  The short answer is “no”. No, informed consent is not always required, but it usually is. As a general rule, researchers are not required to obtain consent form participants if obtaining their consent will do more harm (broadly defined) than using the data without participants’ consent. For example, in the case of secondary data. Suppose you’ve decided to use your students’ grades in a previous semester to examine a research question you’ve just thought of. The students have since left Durham College because they graduated. In this situation, trying to track down each student to obtain their consent would be more harmful than using the data that the students already know you have access to since you’re the one who provided them with the grade in the first place. The reason it will cause more harm to obtain consent is because the researcher would have to try to locate and contact each student by finding them on social media, for example, which the student may feel uneasy about (...

Before I describe the use of each REB form, it’s important to explain where to find them. Each form (and template) that I will refer to is available on ICE: Teams – Academic – Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Research Ethics Board, then click on “Related Forms” on the left hand side (or just click here ). The forms are listed alphabetically, which isn’t always intuitive. For the “standard” REB process, the form is titled “Research Involving Humans Application” and that’s the one you will most likely be using for your research project, whether you expect to be undergoing a delegated review or a full board review. The other forms that I will describe below are used for unique situations and are designed to save you time by either shortening the form or requiring you to fill out fewer forms (keep reading for details). As part of your “normal” REB application, there is also the “Internal Researcher Institutional Permission” form which Stephanie (and sometimes also Ela...

  As a reminder, the college’s current Academic Plan (available here ), includes 4 goals, the fourth of which is to “intensify and strengthen the college’s applied research agenda” and includes four objectives (4.1-4.4) 1)…implement strategies to further develop and strengthen faculty members’ research capabilities. 2)…increase research training opportunities for students to engage in applied research projects both within and outside curricula. 3)…establish research collaborations with relevant external stakeholders. 4)…increase the profile and awareness of applied research activities across the breadth of our research areas both within and outside of the college. The Strategic Research Plan (SRP, which is available here ) elaborates on these directives and how applied research will be strengthened and supported at the college. For example, it recognizes that community and student engagement are important and that research and teaching are complimentary. It specifies that r...

  Last time, I described in detail what is course-based research. In this post, I will outline the REB process and provide some example of projects. As a reminder course-based research is a focus of Goal 4 of the Academic Plan (Objective 4.2) and refers to research endeavours that are undertaken by students within a particular course. It must be no greater than minimal risk and the course must include at least one CLO related to research and research ethics. All course-based research must be approved by the college’s Research Ethics Board (REB) prior to commencing, but the form is different and the process deviates from the standard REB application process. The faculty teaching the course and assigning course-based research will fill out the course-based research form ( Course-Based Research- Form A ) well before the semester begins. Typically, this occurs in April or May for the following year. Once the course-based research activity is approved by the REB, each student in t...