Research & Research Study

Research ethics is an integral part of the research design process. From the earliest stages in the development and design of a research project it is essential to consider the ethical issues involved in studies with humans, animals and any biological materials. The University is bound by national regulations governing research in these areas. In turn, individual researchers have to lodge an application for ethics approval of their project with the University’s Research Office. The guidelines for preparing applications are available on the Research Office website. These guidelines can often assist researchers to decide how to approach a research question using the minimum numbers of subjects/variables to obtain the maximum amount of information and can provide an alert to the responsible way to address study subjects (participants) and investigations. It is a good idea to make a copy of the relevant guidelines for early and continuing reference.

Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research

The Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (the Code) is a guide for responsible research conduct in Australia, providing a basic reference for the development of appropriate policies and procedures. The purpose of the Code is to guide institutions and researchers in responsible research practices. In describing good practice, this Code promotes integrity in research for researchers and explains what is expected of researchers by the community. In providing advice on how to manage departures from best practice, this Code assists researchers, administrators and the community in this important matter. This Code can be found at: www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/_files/r39.pdf.

Candidate

Carefully consider the ethical issues associated with your research project in relation to humans, animals or biological materials from the earliest stages of your planning. The guidelines for submitting all ethics applications are available on the Research Office website. The University’s ethics committees must review your completed application and their final approval is needed before you can commence your project. It will probably take you weeks to prepare your ethics application and then at least 2 to 4 weeks to gain approval by the committee, but this process will take a lot longer if there are ethical issues that you have not addressed adequately. If your project involves collaboration with others or will be conducted at sites external to the University, it may be necessary for you to also gain approval from another organisation. There are research ethics advisors in each division who can offer advice in addition to that provided by your supervisor. The more adequate the preparation of your ethics application, the shorter the delay involved in gaining project approval.

Principal Supervisor

The principal supervisor has a duty of responsibility toward the student, the committee and the University. At the end of the application form to be submitted to the Ethics Review Committee (Human Research) there is a section for the supervisor to endorse the statement that they have read the application and discussed it with the student and, by inference, that they are happy with the proposed study.