Transcript Helpful Tips - University of Melbourne

Ethics – It’s not that hard …
really!
Tim Mattingsbrooke
MGSE Research Ethics Consultant
Outline of this session
Is about ‘how to prepare’ an ethics application:
• Go through the content within the extract
MGSE HEAG Information Kit.
• The three phases: Registration, Preparation
and Submission [subsequent Re-submission].
• Helpful tips for submission: pre & post review.
• Questions and Answers
• If time permits, a compliance check exercise.
The Ethics Information Kit
The MGSE HEAG Human Ethics Information Kit can be found at:
http://education.unimelb.edu.au/study_with_us/student_centre
/graduate_research_ students/human_ethics_ research.
The kit is broken up into three sections:
•Section 1: Background Information
– Code of Conduct for Research, document guidelines, deadlines and
contact details.
•Section 2: Themis Online
– Setting your password, creating an application, and printing it off, with
the requisite summary.
•Section 3: Useful Resources
– National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Research, and useful
websites, such as the Department of Education and Early Childhood
Development (DEECD) and Catholic Education Office, Melb. (CEOM).
Things to particularly note:
• MGSE HEAG handling process (see handout)
– Minimal Risk: goes through five stages and one
committee (MGSE HEAG)
– Standard Risk: goes through seven stages and two
committees (MGSE HEAG & HAPS HESC)
• Application Deadlines (see later slide)
– Minimal Risk: use as a guide
– Standard Risk: is enforced
• Contact People (see later slide)
– such as Themis Help Desk, Office of Research Ethics
and Integrity, and Research Ethics Officer.
Three Phases
• Phase 1: Registration
– Log into the Accounts Registration System (ARS) to set
up your Themis account
– Log into Themis
• Phase 2: Preparation
– Prepare online application first, then download and
complete the requisite hardcopy form
– MGSE Letterhead for Consent Forms and Plain Language
Statements
• Phase 3: Submission
– Submit the application with associate documents to me.
Helpful Tips
Don’t leave it
to the last
minute … the
Human Ethics
Committee
submission
deadlines are
virtually
inflexible!
Helpful Tips: Application Deadlines
• These are the dates you need to know for 2014:
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–
–
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April cycle by Monday 31 March at 5:00pm
May cycle by Monday 28 April at 5:00pm
July cycle by Monday 16 June at 5:00pm
August cycle by Monday 14 July at 5:00pm
September cycle by Monday 11 August at 5:00pm
October cycle by Monday 22 September at 5:00pm
November cycle by Monday 20 October at 5:00pm
December cycle by Monday 17 November at 5:00pm
Note there is NO June cycle!
Helpful Tips: Themis Help Desk
• Online Incident Registration:
http://servicedesk.unimelb.edu.au/itsc/themis/
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 8344 9500
• Operating Hours: 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday
NOTE: If the Themis Service Desk
number is busy or you are calling
outside operating hours, you are
encouraged to log your issue,
query or request using the Themis
Online Incident Registration.
Helpful Tips
When submitting (Pre-Review):
1. Ensure you have a complete application. This
generally consists of five components:
A. An application summary, with online responses
B. An application form, signed by all named
C. All Plain Language Statement/s and Consent
Forms
D. All data collection tools, and
E. Any other relevant documents, e.g. approval
letter/s, recruitment advertisement etc.
Helpful Tips
2. The MGSE HEAG requires one hardcopy single sided,
clipped or place in a plastic sleeve. Do not staple!
3. Use the MGSE letterhead template provided on the
MGSE HEAG website for all consent form/s and plain
language statement/s.
Don’t forget to populate the footer for all Plain
Language Statements and Consent Forms.
Helpful Tips
When submitting (Post-Review):
•Ensure you re-submit a complete signed
application, with your responses to MGSE HEAG’s
recommendations.
– Suggest you add a column to the right of the
recommendation table, to insert your responses.
•Ensure all revisions are uploaded onto Themis and
must match the hardcopy you re-submit to MGSE
HEAG.
Useful Websites
• Accounts Registration System (ARS) to access Themis:
https://accounts.unimelb.edu.au/manage/
• Themis Login: http://www.themis.unimelb.edu.au/
• Melbourne Graduate School of Education Human Ethics
Advisory Group [MGSE HEAG]:
http://education.unimelb.edu.au/study_with_us/student
_centre/graduate_research_students/human_ethics_res
earch
• MGSE Letterhead for Consent Forms and Plain Language
Statements:
http://education.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/word_d
oc/0018/621351/Letterhead_for_Ethics_PLS_and_Conse
nt_Forms.doc
The end of the presentation …
• Any questions?
© Copyright The University of Melbourne 2013
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A quick five minute exercise
Check your ethics application
before you lodge online via
Themis and to the Human Ethics
Committee …
A quick five minute exercise
Using the example complete
ethics application; try and find
the nine issues which would
render this application noncompliant?
NOTE: “the devil is in the detail”!
Compliance Errors/Omissions
1. There is a mismatch of the Responsible Researcher named
online via Themis, compared to the hardcopy application
form lodged.
2. No data collection tools have been uploaded onto Themis,
but yet ‘Sample Interview Questions’ has been lodged in
hardcopy.
3. Catholic Education Office Approval Letter has been registered
and uploaded on Themis, but no hardcopy lodged.
4. There is a mismatch between the number of Plain Language
Statements and Consent Forms – six plain language
statements and three consent forms uploaded, but only one
of each lodged.
Compliance Errors/Omissions
5. Two Consent Forms [Parent/Guardian and Student] not
lodged in hardcopy.
6. Five Plain Language Statements [Parent/Guardian,
Principal/Director and Student, plus two revised] not lodged
in hardcopy.
7. The Principal/Director Consent Form is not lodged in
hardcopy and not uploaded onto Themis.
8. On the application form, in Question 3.1 the boxes checked
state ‘use of questionnaires’; ‘online surveys’; and ‘focus
groups’, but no questionnaires, screen prints or list of topics
have been uploaded onto Themis or lodged in hardcopy.
9. Incorrect MGSE letterhead used.
A couple helpful hints…
• Always proof read the application to ensure it is consistent
throughout, and correct any spelling/grammatical errors.
• Always ensure you check what you upload onto Themis
matches what you submit in hardcopy to the MGSE HEAG.
• A good rule of thumb is: “for every Plain Language Statement
there should be a corresponding Consent Form”. So, if you
have five Plain Language Statement , then ensure you have
five corresponding consent forms.
• Endorsements from institutions/agencies needs to occur prior
to the application being approved by the Human Ethics
Committee. This is not to be confused with consent from
individual participants, which occurs after approval is granted.
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Important information
• Meet with your supervisor to discuss your ethics
application before you start.
• Set a realistic timeline – it takes longer than you
think.
• Don’t submit an application before confirmation.
• All students must have ethics training (as of 2013).
• Your supervisors must have read your application
before they sign and you submit.
• The ethics application is a formal document. Don’t
submit it if it is not ready for review.
• Include all information in appendices e.g. interview
questions, workshop outlines etc..
Ethics is ongoing – an organic process
Application
reviewed
Final report
Application
approval
Annual report
Conducting
your research
Amendments
(if required)
Jargon – What does it mean?
Philosophy
Postcolonial
Triangulation…
Department of Education and Early Childhood
This should be
completed once you
have submitted your
University ethics
application. See
http://www.education.vi
c.gov.au/about/research
/pages/conducting.aspx
for further information.
Completing the DEECD Application
• Important note: is 3 and 4 relevant to your research?
• Remember you are required to complete a final
report – the reporting template is on the website
Any questions?
© Copyright The University of Melbourne 2013