Ethics in Research
Ethics in Research
This page deals with the ethics of research practices, especially those involving live subjects i.e. what risks and dangers the research poses to the researcher, subjects and institutions, as addressed in the Research Code of Practice.
The University requires departments to consider the ethical implications of the students鈥� research. It has created a bespoke module on Moodle, which explains the Warwick processes and policies. Once you have looked through this, we urge you and your supervisor(s) to consider any ethical implications early on in year 1 (ideally before the formal review meeting for M4C in February and for other students in the summer term), in case a formal committee approval process is needed.
We will ask you to fill in an History PGR Ethical Review FormLink opens in a new window for your upgrade and submit it together with your dissertation proposal. It is not acceptable to submit a blank form. The form will be discussed at the upgrade and, if your reviewers feel that there are no (or only minor) ethical considerations, a formal record of the decision to grant ethical approval will be kept in the departmental office. This represents our internal ethics review process.
Note that M4C funded students should also complete an Ethical Review FormLink opens in a new window in their first year, even though this is not a formal requirement of the M4C funding or Mid-Year review. The Ethical Review Form is still a Departmental requirement of the official MPhil to PhD upgrade process and should be completed as part of your first M4C mid-year review.
In cases where you and your supervisors think there may be significant ethical issues to be considered it is good practice to work through the departmental form and the checklist below at the start of your research. Early discussion of ethical issues will help your project design and minimise the risk of having to reconfigure your plans at a later stage.
Humanities & Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee (HSSREC)
In many historical research projects, there will be no ethical implications, but in cases where your research involves human participants (perhaps involving interviews and the collection of oral histories), confidential data (perhaps medical records might be among your sources) or other sensitive aspects, prior ethical approval by an external university body – known as the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee HSSREC – will be required. HSSREC is responsible for overseeing processes and procedures within the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences.
Do you need external ethical approval?
Looking through this checklist will help you to know whether you are required to seek external ethics approval for your research. This is just for illustration, the full / latest guidelines can be found on the webpages of Warwick鈥檚 Research and Impact Services.
As a general rule, you should not begin any ethically sensitive aspects of your research until your approach has been approved internally (at your upgrade) or by HSSREC (if external review is required). Please note that the latter may take some time.
1. Does your intended research involve human participants, their data and/or tissue (which may include data of deceased individuals)?
2. Does your intended research involve analysis of social media?
In this context, you may find it helpful to check produced by the University of Aberdeen as well as Warwick's Ethical Approval Guide for Using Social Media.
3. Does your intended research involve any of the following groups or their data?
- NHS patients, staff, or facilities
- Children aged under 16
- Vulnerable adults (those who may be unable to give informed consent or are in a dependent position)
- People engaged in criminal or illegal activities (including visiting websites even if there is no direct contact with individuals)
- Terrorist or extremist organisations (including visiting websites even if there is no direct contact with individuals)
- Ministry of Defence personnel
4. Will your research require any travel or take place in any 鈥渉igh risk鈥� locations?
- A foreign country where there is a travel warning in place
- Anywhere where you might put yourself at personal risk by visiting or with which you are unfamiliar
- Any other location you think might be "high risk"
Research Integrity
鈥楻esearch integrity鈥� refers to high quality and robust practice across the full research process ie the planning and conduct of research, the recording and reporting of results, and the dissemination, application and exploitation of findings.
The University expects the highest standards in the conduct of all research undertaken in its name and on its premises using its facilities. This includes research undertaken by staff, students, visiting or emeritus staff, associates, honorary or clinical contract holders, contractors and consultants. In this, the University recognises its obligations to the wider research community, to the funders of research and to society as a whole to uphold the integrity of academic research, and to comply with the .
Key University policies
The Research Code of Practice provides guiding principles and standards of good practice in research across all subject disciplines and fields of study in the University.
The Code of Practice for the Investigation of Research Misconduct sets out a definition of research misconduct and the procedure for reporting and dealing with allegations.
University Statement on the Ethical Conduct of Research sets out the University's commitment to advancing and safeguarding the highest academic and ethical standards in all its research activities.
In order to support the community鈥檚 understanding of the principles and practices that protect the integrity of research, the University provides free-at-the-point-of-use access to a dedicated online Research Integrity Training Programme - Epigeum. All PG Research students must complete the full of 8 modules, which tackles key aspects from a general perspective (with students working with human participants additionally needing to complete the respective supplementary module).
The University has mandated the completion of Research Integrity training for all staff and students delivering research and has recently approved a Research Integrity training policy.
Further useful links can be found on the university pages at Research Integrity.
Further Guidance
Please also refer to History Department guidance on Academic Integrity, Referencing and Use of Artificial Intelligence.