An Easter message from our committee
With many of our review team on annual leave over the next couple of weeks we might take a little longer than usual to process applications. Please bear with us and rest assured that all applications will be processed and reviews will be returned to applicants once our reviewers return.
We hope that you can also find time to relax over the Easter period.
SoTL Ethics Committee
Co-Chairs
Dr Sarah Honeychurch, Academic Development
Dr Carole Macdiarmid, College of Arts and Humanities
Please use the committee inbox to contact Sarah and Carole
Members
Dr Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel, College of MVLS
Dr Linnea Soler, College of Science and Engineering
Professor Jo Edson Ferrie, College of Social Sciences
Dr Nathalie Tasler, University Services
Reviewers
We have a pool of reviewers from across the colleges and university services.
Application Process
Submission
Who can submit?
The SoTL Ethics Committee accepts applications from any member of staff at the UofG (on any type of contract) for scholarship research projects related to any area of learning and teaching in HE.
We do not accept applications from PGR, PGT or UG students. These students should apply via the appropriate School/College processes.
Do I need to submit an ethics application?
If you are conducting any research involving human subjects or materials or data not in the public domain, you should apply for ethical approval.
How to submit
Submission is via a Microsoft Form.
There is a link to our guidance at the beginning of the form and links to a folder containing templates for the accompanying documents. This is also linked at the end of the form. There is also a Word copy of the MS Form in this folder for those who prefer to work with a local copy first. Please contact us via our email address if you have a problem accessing the form.
What to submit
The application form will ask you for details of your SoTL project in the following areas:
- Methodology
- Participants
- Health and Safety
- Anonymity and Confidentiality
- Consent/Agreement
- Data Management
At the end of this form you will find a link to a SharePoint folder that contains templates for Participant Information and Privacy Sheet, Participant Agreement (Consent) Sheet, and Participant Debrief Sheet. You will need to complete these and upload them along with your application form. If you are intending to use surveys, interviews or focus groups in your project you will also be asked to upload drafts of survey/questionnaire questions and sample questions for focus groups/interviews along with your application. There is also a Word copy of the MS Form in this folder for those who prefer to work with a local copy first.
You should also complete a Data Management Plan and upload it along with your application. The SoTL Ethics Committee will not review this document, but will record that it has been uploaded with the application.
Depending on the nature of your research project, you may also have to supply a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA). The SoTL Ethics Committee will not review this document, but will record that it has been uploaded with the application.
Guidance
This is now available. You will find a link at the beginning of the MS Form.
Amendments
If you need to request an amendment to your application, for example to change the date of data collection, add or remove a project member or make changes to your approved methods, please complete the Amendment Form. Please note that we are unable to process amendments to applications approved by other ethics committees. Request for amendments to these applications should be made to the original College Ethics Committee.
Review Process
When you submit your application we will allocate it to a lead reviewer, who will be a member of the SoTL Ethics Committee. The lead reviewer will allocate two reviewers to review your application. Each reviewer complete their review on the reviewer response form and make a recommendation. When both reviewers have completed their reviews, the lead reviewer will summarise the comments and email the reviewer response form to you via the SoTL Ethics inbox along with the decision.
We aim to complete the reviews and return them to you within three weeks of submission of your application.
Review Criteria
Reviewers are asked to review applications according to the following criteria and provide feedback as necessary:
- Clear project aims and methodology
- Ethical issues
- Risks and mitigation
- Data management
- Accompanying materials
Review Decisions
We will review and return your application, along with one of the following outcomes.
| Outcome | Explanation |
|---|---|
|
Approval / conditional approval |
Apart from the odd spelling mistake, the application and related materials are satisfactory. All pertinent issues have been addressed. In cases of conditional approval, there will typically be some minor issues identified, with approval subject to those points being noted/ incorporated, with confirmation via email to the Lead Reviewer. |
|
Minor changes |
The application and materials are generally adequate in terms of their identification, assessment and proposed handling of ethical issues and risks, but there are minor inconsistencies or points that need to be addressed. The revised materials will be checked by the lead reviewer only. |
|
Major changes |
The project is potentially viable but there are significant problems relating to the identification, assessment and proposed handling of ethical issues and risks. Significant reworking of accompanying materials and/or overall conceptualisation/ design may well be required. The revised application will be recirculated to ALL original reviewers. |
| Rejection | The application is not adequate and/or the project as formulated carries a high risk of significant harm to subjects and/or investigator. |
Appeals
Applicants who are dissatisfied with the decision made by the SoTL Ethics Committee should in the first instance discuss the matter with the SoTL Ethics Co-Chairs. If discussion is unable to resolve the issue satisfactorily, an appeal may be made to the University Ethics Committee.