Human research ethics

Whenever you conduct research with human subjects, you will need to obtain ethics clearance. Research where ethics approval is needed includes: studies involving interviews (from formal to informal), observations, surveys and, even in some cases, documents. You should look at the Human Ethics home page for information about the application process.

• What kind of approval do I need?
• Do I qualify for expedited review?
• How do I apply for expedited review?
• How do I apply for non-expedited review?
• Examples
• Contacts

What kind of approval do I need?
There are two kinds of ethics clearance available for researchers:

1. Ethics approval which must be obtained from the University's Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC), which meets every 6 weeks or so.

2. In some cases, certain low-risk projects may qualify for expedited review, which can be approved at the Departmental level.

top of page

Do I qualify for expedited review?
Depending on the focus of your research, you may be able to submit an expedited application. This is a much speedier process than the regular ethics clearance proposal process. Expedited applications can be cleared at the Department level, whereas non-expedited applications have to go through the HREC Arts and Education Faculty sub-committee. To see whether your project qualifies for the expedited approval process, have a look at the expedited checklist form.

As long as you answer 'no' to all the questions on the checklist, you can use the expedited approval form. Even if you answer 'yes' to any of the questions, you may still be able to apply through the expedited process if you can provide a justification in Section 5 “special case”. If you have doubts about whether your project qualifies for the expedited process, it is a good idea to contact the Chair of DHEAG (Department Human Ethics Advisory Committee) to discuss you application (contact details below). The Chair of DHEAG can also provide you with examples of ethics applications. If you do not qualify for the expedited process, you will need to go through the regular ethics application process.

top of page

How do I apply for expedited review?
If you qualify for the expedited process, you will need to submit:

• The expedited checklist
• The expedited application form
• A plain language statement (on Department letterhead)
• A consent form (on Department letterhead)
• A list of your interview questions/questionnaire/observation schedule, etc.

You can get forms and information to complete your application from the Human Ethics website.

This site includes the checklist, the application forms, and examples of the plain language statement. I suggest you download the forms and edit them to fit the specifics of your project.

The application forms can be downloaded and filled in on screen. The Ethics Committee will NOT accept handwritten applications. Note however that it is not always possible to complete the expedited checklist on-line, so it is OK to fill in this form (and only this form) by hand. Note also that for the purpose of Ethics applications, your supervisor must be listed as one of the investigators.

Once you have completed the forms for an expedited application, you should lodge them with the Chair of DHEAG (currently John Chesterman) through the Department (Postgraduate Coordinator). The Chair of DHEAG, or another member of DHEAG, will review your application (assuming it is the expedited process). The Chair will then contact you by email indicating either that your project has been approved, and you can begin your fieldwork, or else indicating changes that you need to consider before approval can be given. The DHEAG reviews applications as they come in, and aims to provide feedback within 2 weeks of receiving applications.

top of page

How do I apply for non-expedited review?
If your application is not in the low risk/expedited category (ie you tick ‘yes’ to one or more of the questions on the expedited checklist, and cannot provide a justification for why your project is low-risk), you will need to submit the regular ethics form (available at the ethics website), in addition to the PLS, your questions and consent form.

In addition to being reviewed at the departmental level (by the DHEAG as detailed above), such applications are also reviewed by the Arts and Education Human Research Ethics Committee. This committee has a timetable of due dates for submission of applications, and a timetable of when it meets. The timetable of meeting times, and submission dates for applications, is also on the web. If you need to use this process, you will need to get your application to the department at least a week before the submission date, so we can review your application and provide you with any feedback. The application also needs to be signed by you (and your supervisor, where appropriate), by the Chair of DHEAG, and by the Head of Department. Once your application is in order, the Department will make the necessary number of copies and forward the application to the Arts and Education committee. The application needs to be signed off at the Department level before proceeding to the Faculty level. However, under this process, you can not begin your research until you have received approval from the Arts and Education Ethics Committee.

Information and application forms are on the Human Ethics website. The application form you need is Form 1: Project application form. The Human Ethics web page gives further advice about completing the ethics application.

Humanities and Applied Sciences Human Ethics Subcommittee deadlines

top of page

Examples
Below are examples of completed ethics applications, with supporting material. These documents are in PDF format, readable in Adobe Acrobat.

Expedited review

• Application form
• Expedited review checklist
• Consent form
• Interview schedule
• Plain language statement

Full review

• Application form
• Observation notice
• Recruitment advertisement
• Plain language statement 1
• Plain language statement 2
• Interview guide (women)
• Interview guide (staff)
• Consent form

top of page

Contacts
John Chesterman
Chair, DHEAG
John Medley Room 438
Email: jhc@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: 8344 7944

Postgraduate Coordinator
Political Science/Sociology office, room 419, John Medley
Email: polpgrad-info@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: 8344 6571

top of page