Research proposals and ethics applications

Research Proposals

General research proposal guide provided by Student Learning

Ethical Applications

When researching with animals
When researching with humans

Ethical conduct in research from the University of Waikato Ethics Committees webpage/s.

Research Ethics Guidebook (for social scientists) sponsored by the University of London.

Information for an ethical application:

The length (level of detail) of your application will be specified by the template you are using, by the ethics committee for your faculty, or by your supervisor

The Ethics Committee for each faculty have their own templates for students to follow. Each is likely to expect the following details:

Researcher information

Your name and contact details and the project title

Focus

A sentence or two that identifies the field of research, the specific topic, and the area of interest to which the research will contribute directly.

Background of the research

Provide a reason why the need for this research has come to your attention.

Justification for the research

Summary of the key themes in the literature, and the gap in knowledge that you have identified. Explain how the findings will contribute to existing knowledge in the field of study.

Research question/s

Framed as actual questions (with question marks).

Recruiting participants

Details about how the participants will be recruited, and how they will give their consent. Pay particular attention to protecting the interests of the participants, especially if they are children, or marginalised/vulnerable members of society.

Cultural safety

Steps to be taken that will acknowledge and protect the cultural protocols and/or practices of all participants.

Consideration of the culturally specific requirements of working with participants who may be from a different ethnic, cultural or social background from the researcher.

Ethical considerations

Procedures and parameters for participant informed consent, rights to decline/withdraw, and confidentiality.

Data security with collection and storage.

Conflicts of interest (if any).

Quality assurance.

Potential impact on any parties of the results and mitigating strategies to minimise harm.

Fair dissemination of results/findings.

Intended methodology or research process

Your primary research tool and process of data analysis.