First, get the form. A PDF is available for those with typewriters; a Microsoft Word version is there for the rest of us.
You'll only be using the first seven pages: the next two are for long term projects or ones that require a final review. Hold on to the last one.
Now, let's take the questions one at a time.
Title of Proposed Research:
Come up with a title: It doesn't have to be catchy yet. "Ethnography of a Shopping Mall" or "Interview with a Sculptor" will suffice for now.
Date submitted to the REB:
October 5th, 2006
Project Start Date:
October 5th, 2006
Expected Completion Date:
November 21, 2006
Principal Investigator(s): Provide name(s), academic status (faculty, undergraduate student, graduate student or other (please specify), department, e-mail address, office telephone, home telephone.
[Put your name here], undergraduate student, [your department/ degree/ programme/ whatever], [your email]. [Don't give them your phone number: they're lonely and want friends]
Co-Investigator(s): Provide name(s), department, academic status, e-mail address, office telephone.
You don't have one: leave this blank
Supervisor(s): (if principal Investigator is a student): provide department, e-mail address, office telephone:
Ian Brodie, Heritage and Culture, ian_brodie@cbu.ca, x1418
The undersigned parties certify that they have consulted, and undertake to comply with, the Tri-Council Policy Statement Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans.
[By the time we get through this, you will have, so it won't be a lie]
Principal Investigator(s):
[when you print it off, you put your John Hancock here]
Co-Investigator(s):
n/a
Supervisor(s):
[when you hand it in, I'll put my John Hancock here]
Has funding been received for this research?
No
If yes, from what agency and for what period?
n/a
If no, has funding been requested for this research?
No
If yes, from what agency and for what period?
n/a
Summary: Provide, in 150 to 300 words, a summary of the proposed research, indicating clearly the role of the research participants and any procedures to which they will be subjected. (Include copies of any questionnaires, interview guides or other instruments with your application)
[Easiest thing to do is say 'see attached'. and then attach your proposal]
Risk: In your opinion, does this research pose more than minimal risk (Tri-Council Policy Statement, Section 1.C1, page 1.5) to participants?
The answer should be 'no', but you should read what it says in the policy (follow the link) and really think about it first. Why are they asking this? What is the nature of your research and how does it relate to this?
What are the risks of harm in this research project and how will your research methodology address these risks?
Note that not only physical injury, but also anxiety or embarrassment, are included in the concept of harm. Describe means adopted to minimize risk and means (such as provision of counseling) to deal with harms which participants may experience. Describe as well the potential benefit that will result from this research that justifies the above risk of harm.
Again, the answer should be 'no'. But it isn't impossible that certain activities are possibly subject to some sort of scrutiny: even if everyone involved is fully consenting, there are some frosh week activities, for example, that may contradict official school policy or current legal practice. So, think twice, and, what is more, your informants might not think that harm embarrassment can come to them but you might be cleverer than that, so sometimes you act on behalf of your informants.
Deception: Does this research involve deception or partial disclosure?
No [You're telling them what you are doing, and you aren't recording things secretly]
If yes, refer to the Tri-Council Policy Statement, Section 2, specifically Article 2.1(c) and subsequent commentary (pages 2.1 to 2.3), and provide an explanation of how you plan to comply with the requirements of that Section for debriefing. Describe as well the potential benefit which will result from this research, which justifies waiving the normal requirements for full disclosure.
n/a [but hey, read it anyway]
Research Participants:
Hopefully you have an idea now-ish.
Number of Participants: How many individuals will participate in this research?
Typically, one.
Recruitment: How will they be recruited, and from what population?
You are likely to directly approach them as representative of the folk group under discussion.
Inducements: Will any inducements (money, grade points, etc.) be offered to encourage participation?
No [Well, no-ish. Interestingly enough, this is the greyest of areas in folkloristics. Does sitting people down and offering them pizza, scotch, etc. qualify as 'inducements'? It isn't the same as paid participation in clinical trials: it is the same kind of reciprocity that one would do if one were asking a favour of a friend (help me move, I'll buy beer). So, once again, take a ponder.]
If yes, indicate how compliance with Section 2B of the Tri-Council Policy Statement concerning voluntariness (page 2.4) will be achieved. If academic rewards are to be used, give details of alternative means of achieving equivalent rewards.
n/a
Informed Consent: Will individual consent be sought from all participants?
Yes [you will be telling people what you are doing.]
If yes, provide the information requested below. If no, explain why such consent will not be obtained and indicate how the requirements for waiver of informed consent are being met. The requirements for such waivers are described in Section 2 of the Tri-Council Policy Statement (pages 2.1 to 2.12).
(below)
Informing Participants: How will the nature of the research be explained to potential participants, in compliance with Section 2D of the Tri-Council Policy Statement (pages 2.5 to 2.8)? Attach a copy of any document(s), such as an explanatory letter, to be used for this purpose.
You will explain it to them.
Evidence of Consent: If written evidence of informed consent will be obtained, attach a copy of the consent form. If written evidence of informed consent will not be used, explain in detail how you intend to comply with the requirements of Section 2A of the Tri-Council Policy Statement, particularly Article 2.1(b) and subsequent commentary (pages 2.1 to 2.3).
You will, in the case of interviewing people, explain the project to them when the recorder is on, and ask them if it is still okay. See 2.1 (b): about the "culturally unacceptable" ways of finding informed consent. You can also reference the Statement of the American Folklore Society On Research with Human Subjects and what they say about evidence of informed consent.
Children as Research Participants: If the proposed research involves children as participants, provide a statement indicating how compliance with Section 2E and specifically with Articles 2.5, 2.6 and 2.7 of the Tri-Council Policy Statement (pages 2.9 to 2.11) will be achieved.
n/a
Incompetent Adults as Research Participants: If the research involves adults of diminished competence as participants, provide a statement indicating how compliance with Section 2E and specifically with Articles 2.5, 2.6 and 2.7 of the Tri-Council Policy Statement (pages 2.9 to 2.11) will be achieved.
n/a
Anonymity/Confidentiality: Will complete anonymity of participants and confidentiality of data be maintained?
No
If yes, explain the procedures to be used to ensure anonymity of participants and the confidentiality of data both during the research and in the release of the findings. If no, explain the procedures to be used to discuss limits to anonymity and confidentiality and to obtain participants agreement to waive anonymity.
See Statement of the American Folklore Society On Research with Human Subjects again, this time looking at 'Confidentiality'. Then write something.
Describe the procedures for securing written records, questionnaires, video/audio tapes and electronic data, etc.
Everything is going to go into the Beaton Institute Archive. It will be accessioned, described, stored, and made accessible by institute staff, in accordance with any restrictions you may place upon it (for example, you may insist that pseudonyms be used for particular informants, or you may put a hold of ten years on the info until the risk of embarrassment has passed).
Indicate how long the data will be securely stored and the method to be used for final disposal of the data.
[X] Paper Records
[X] Data will be retained indefinitely in a secure location
[X] Audio/Video Recordings
[X] Data will be retained indefinitely in a secure location
[X] Electronic Data (you will be using digital copies of things, so include this too.
[X] Data will be retained indefinitely in a secure location
[ ] Other (Provide details on type, retention period and final disposition, if applicable).
I don't think this will apply.
Feedback: Describe the measures which you propose for providing feedback to research participants concerning the outcome of the research.
Give them a copy of your paper. Easy peasy.
Continuing Review: All research requires brief annual reports and a brief report upon completion of the research. Suitable report forms are included at the end of this file. Research involving more than minimal risk may require additional measures for continuing review. If your research involves more than minimal risk, describe here the measures you propose for facilitating continuing review of this research, in compliance with Article 1.13 of the Tri-Council Policy Statement (pages 1.10 to 1.11)
Since it doesn't involve more than minimal risk, no problem.
Additional Information: Please feel free to append any additional information which you feel may be helpful to the REB in evaluating this application.
Attach your proposal.
And that's all there is to it. Only do one copy: I'll mark it up and suggest any changes needed. Then we'll submit it.
YAY!
