Ethics check-list for research projects

This is an example, if you are looking for the word version of the check-list that you can fill out, please download it here

1.1 Consent

	Yes	No	Not certain
(a) Will the research project involve participants who are in any way vulnerable or who may be incapacitated to give informed consent as to their participation or participants age 18 or below, or belonging to sensitive groups who are unable to give informed consent (i.e. people with learning disabilities)? (as general guidance, research participants under the age of 18 may be considered vulnerable)
(b) Will participants be enlisted in the project without their knowledge and/or consent? (e.g. via covert observation of people in public places)
(c) W il l the study require the co-operation of a gatekeeper for initial access to groups or more individuals to be recruited? (e.g. students, members of different self-help groups, residents of retirement homes)

1.2 Research Design/Methodology

	Yes	No	Not certain
A r e there any significant concerns regarding the design of the research project? For example: (based on a.o. Lee, R & Renzetti, C, Researching Sensitive Topics, 1993:6)
( a) Where research intrudes into the private sphere or delves into some deeply personal experience
( b) Where the study is concerned with deviance or social control
(c ) Where the study impinges on the vested interests of powerful persons or the exercise of coercion or domination
(d) Where the research deals with things that are sacred to those being studied that they do not wish profaned
(e) Where the research deals with personal data and links personal behavior and spatial data.
(f) If the proposed research project relates to the provision of social or human services, is it feasible and/or appropriate that service users (or service user representatives) should be in some way involved?
(g) Could the study induce negative consequences beyond minimal risks?*

1.3 F inancial Incentives

	Yes	No	Not certain
(a) Will there be any payments planned/carried out to researchers and/or participants that may have an impact on data collection and/or data analysis?
(b) W il l financial inducements (other than reasonable expenses and c o m pensation for time) be offered to participants?

1.4 Confidentiality

	Yes	No	Not certain
(a) W il l research involve the sharing of data or confidential information beyond the initial consent given?
(b) Does the Dutch Data Protection Act 1998 (Wet bescherming persoonsgegevens) and the European Data Protection Directive apply to any of the data-processing activities that will be involved with this research?
(c) W il l the research involve recruiting and/or interviewing respondents over the internet or other visual/vocal methods whereby respondents may be identified?
(d) W il l the research involve administrative or secure data that requires permission from the appropriate authorities before use?

1.5 M u lti-performer and multi-sited projects

	Yes	No	Not certain
W il l the research take place in other countries than the Netherlands?

1.6 Risk to researchers

	Yes	No	Not certain
Are there any doubts or concerns regarding your own safety and /or wellbeing of any of your fellow colleagues during the research period?

Decide if you have to complete the full questionnaire

If, after careful consideration and completing the ethics checklist above you have answered all questions with No (whether you are a student, PhD researcher or junior/senior researcher at the faculty), then you do not need to complete the form below. No ethical approval is required.

If you have answered Yes or Not certain to any one question in the checklist, you will need to fill in the full ethics report.

* The concept of minimal risk is taken from the research ethics framework of the ESRC (pages 21 to 26): “Risk is often defined by reference to the potential physical or psychological harm, discomfort or stress to human participants that a research project might generate. This is especially pertinent in the context of health-related research. But, in addition, social science raises a wider range of risks that needs to be considered by RECs. These include risk to a subject’s personal social standing, privacy, personal values and beliefs, their links to family and the wider community, and their position within occupational settings, as well as the adverse effects of revealing information that relates to illegal, sexual or deviant behaviour. Research which carries no physical risk can be disruptive and damaging to research subjects either as individuals or as whole communities or categories of people, such as those with HIV infection.”

Last modified:

17 June 2021 4.51 p.m.