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Principal Investigators (senior academic researcher in the University who takes responsibility for the conduct and delivery of studies, which for grant-funded research will be by default be the grant holder) have a responsibility to ensure compliance with the Code at the project level. All Researchers must familiarise themselves with this Code, abide by it, and be responsible and accountable for their conduct and for abiding by the Code. This requirement also extends to honorary staff (e.g. honorary lecturers) engaged by the University, visiting staff and other individuals engaged by the University. Registered Students need to be aware of this Code and are responsible and accountable for their conduct and for abiding by the guidance provided by their supervisors and this Code. An ethics review is required for any Registered Student’s research project. Registered Students who are on undergraduate or postgraduate taught (PGT)courses must seek ethics review via the local systems existing within their School or College. This is done by submitting the form () that is required at the beginning of the project. Students, especially if they don’t have a background in psychology, should familiarise themselves with the following material:
Please ensure that an appropriate health and safety risk assessment is carried out prior to the commencement of this project.
Ethics
Last edited 70 days ago by Massimiliano Di Luca.
15/01/2023: New research ethics process rolled out for all staff and postgraduate research students
The University’s new research ethics review system, ‘Ethics Review Manager’ (ERM), has now been extended to all staff and PGR student research projects.
The ethics checklist has been removed from Worktribe, and researchers must now go directly to ERM to complete ethics review applications and to amend existing, approved applications.
The Research Ethics team will be running a series of drop-in Q&A sessions. Further information on these sessions as well as other guidance materials and links to training on Canvas can be found on the .
applications for individual PGT projects should not be submitted to STEM. PGT students should be working within the approvals for staff-led projects held by their supervisors, and this should be managed at School level, rather than the students being named on STEM applications and/or on the participant documentation for individual studies.
v4_ethics_for_UG_MSc_projects.pdf
352.5 kB
University ethics, government, integrity for research
Information on VSoP on Canvas
University regulations regarding research
Research code of practice, which indicates how “responsible ethical conduct is expected in all aspects of research, including applying for funding, experimental design, generating and analysing data, using equipment and facilities, publishing results and acknowledging the direct and indirect contribution of
colleagues, collaborators and others”. The code addresses research data management, international research safeguards, intellectual property assignment, conflicts of interest, and controlled-items in research.
General ethics approval information
The UoB STEM ethics committee reviews the ethics protocols submitted by staff members in Psychology. Usually, permanent staff members apply to create umbrella protocols. ER_09_528 is a programme protocol approved by the STEM ethics committee that is normally used in the lab. To this programme approval, a second application can lead to specific considerations that are then approved with a number: APXXA (i.e., AP_ER_09_528A52) which constitutes the full approval number.
The PI for the specific considerations is one of the staff members in the lab, so look at the documents to find who it is for the specific ethics approvals.
Students then provide the PI with the protocol that the PI approves.
from the following document: “Individual UG / PGT projects running under programme ethics will not require the submission of an ‘application to use’ the programme to STEM. It will be sufficient that the supervisor is a PI or Co-I on the protocol, and logs this as the ethical framework under which the project will be conducted.” It is the supervisor’s responsibility to ensure that all the methods, recruitment, consent process, etc., in each student’s project fall within the remit of their approved protocol. If this is not the case, they will request an amendment to the approving body or modify the project to make it fit within remit.
v4_ethics_for_UG_MSc_projects.pdf
352.5 kB
Ethics information for specific projects
Please modify the information sheet and consent form appropriately for your study/project.
General Guidance
GuidanceandConsentForm.pdf
26.9 kB
SOPHS_22_22_Computer.docx
76.8 kB
VR / touch exps
HLi_InfoConsentSheet.docx
157.1 kB
Example Ethics form for VR studies (Note this study has already ended)
ERN_09-528AP22_amendment_27_5_2020.dot
94.7 kB
Audio visual exps
CG Concent form.doc
47.1 kB
Perceived location of sounds and lights ERN_11-1241
Aging Touch
AgingTouch_Informationsheet_v1b.docx
154 kB
Time perception
ARME
armeV3_APPLICATION TO USE PROGRAMME ERN_09-528.docx
92.7 kB
armeV2_APPLICATION TO USE PROGRAMME ERN_09-528.docx
84 kB
rec_consent_form_v2.docx
45.2 kB
rec_template_participant_information_leaflet_v8.docx
37.8 kB
Consent form.docx
16 kB
Demographics questionnaire.docx
15.6 kB
Experimenter guidance.docx
522.2 kB
Information sheet.docx
15.3 kB
Haptics
pushing softness[76].doc
161.8 kB
APPLICATION TO USE PROGRAMME ERN_09-528_haptic and vision (1).docx
181.3 kB
Re: “Haptic Perception with and without Visual Cues” Application for Ethical Review ERN_09-528AP45
Mars
ERN_21-0793
APPLICATION TO USE PROGRAMME ERN_09-528[31].docx
72.3 kB
Hand function
ERN_15-1024AP31
-926923879603070514ern_09-528ap31_amendment_15_6_2020[99].doc
109.1 kB
ARME recordings
armeV2_APPLICATION TO USE PROGRAMME ERN_09-528[73].pdf
209.2 kB
rec_template_participant_information_leaflet_v7._01.04.21_5 (1)[62].pdf
77.3 kB
rec_consent_form_v1._1.11.pdf
31.9 kB
Text entry
ERN_4660-Jul2025
Ethics form
You should discuss your project with , or to identify what ethics approval it is aligned to. You then need to answer the questions in the form using the information in the documents listed on this page.
@Massimiliano Di Luca
@Diar Karim
@Min Li
7) empty
8) ERN number
9) Open the relative document
10) First sentence on this page
11) Me
12) Students are normally not named on STEM ethics form, they need to send a statement that they will work on their project and receive approval by the PI
Example umbrella applications (links open in CANVAS VSOP, accessible to staff)
Behavioural, EEG, and fMRI investigations of social cognition and reasoning in healthy adults. (ERN 09-719, Apperly). . .
Collaborating with stakeholders to develop assessment or intervention tools for young people. Includes a broad range of methods. (ERN_19-1520P, Woodcock). , .
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in healthy adults. (ERN_11-0470P, Miall). , , .
Studies of the human sensory-motor system in healthy adults and neurological disorders. Methods include visuo-motor tracking, EMG, peripheral nerve stimulation, amongst others (see programme for full description). (ERN_09-528, Miall). , , .
Studies of communicative, cognitive and motor functioning in individuals with autism. Methods include questionnaires, interviews, cognitive tests, non invasive physiological measures, and others (see programme for full description). (ERN_16-0281P, Cook). . , , .
In-person and online recognition memory experiments (basic and applied) in healthy adults and children. (ERN_18-0031P, Colloff). , .
tDCS, TMS, EMG in healthy adults. (ERN_15-1646P, Fernandez-Espejo). , .
EEG-fNIRS in healthy adults (ERN_17-0544P, Cruse). , .
PROGRAMMES OF WORK
Programmes of work are 'umbrella' approvals for linked studies with common research objectives and methodologies. New applications for a Programme of Work need to be discussed with the University's Ethics Team before submission. See more guidance in the Programmes of Work section below:
Example Programmes of Work:
NB. these are NOT school managed programmes, but example applications shared by colleagues only as guidance for others to write their own applications. You can recycle any of the text but you should NOT use these for your own research (many have expired). If you would like to join a programme of work by another PI in the school, you must contact the programme lead to discuss this in advance and submit an Application to Use to the University's ethics team.
Behavioural, EEG, and fMRI investigations of social cognition and reasoning in healthy adults. (ERN 09-719, Apperly).
Collaborating with stakeholders to develop assessment or intervention tools for young people. Includes a broad range of methods. (ERN_19-1520P, Woodcock). , .
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in healthy adults. (ERN_11-0470P, Miall). , , .
Studies of the human sensory-motor system in healthy adults and neurological disorders. Methods include visuo-motor tracking, EMG, peripheral nerve stimulation, amongst others (see programme for full description). (ERN_09-528, Miall). , , .
Alternative files:
programme:
application_for_ethical_review_form_r6.doc
215 kB
Appendices:
Consent Forms.doc
57.3 kB
TEMPLATE LETTER TO VOLUNTEERS.docx
35.1 kB
Note for use:
notes_for_use_r3.pdf
118.2 kB
Studies of communicative, cognitive and motor functioning in individuals with autism. Methods include questionnaires, interviews, cognitive tests, non invasive physiological measures, and others (see programme for full description). (ERN_16-0281P, Cook). , , .
In-person and online recognition memory experiments (basic and applied) in healthy adults and children. (ERN_18-0031P, Colloff). , .
tDCS, TMS, EMG in healthy adults. (ERN_15-1646P, Fernandez-Espejo). , .
EEG-fNIRS in healthy adults (ERN_17-0544P, Cruse). , .
Re: “Personality and gender influences on Spatial Awareness and Subjective Experience (AWE) in a Virtual Environment”
Ethics application ERN_09-528AP44
Thank you for the above application to use Programme of Work ERN_09-528P This has now been considered by the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Ethical Review Committee.
On behalf of the Committee, I can confirm a favourable ethical opinion for this application.
I would like to remind you that any substantive changes to the nature of the study as described in the Application for Ethical Review, and/or any adverse events occurring during the study should be promptly brought to the Committee’s attention by the Principal Investigator andmay necessitate further ethical review.
Please be aware that whilst Health andSafety (H&S) issues may be considered during the ethical review process, you are still required to follow the University’s guidance on H&S and to ensure that H&S risk assessments have been carried out as appropriate. For further information about this, please contact your School H&S representative or the University’s H&S Unit at .
If you require a hard copy of this correspondence, please let me know.
Kind regards
Mrs Susan Cottam
Research Ethics Manager
Research Strategy and Services Division
University of Birmingham
Video/phone: If you would like to arrange a Teams/Zoom/telephone call, please email me and I will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
Postal address: Mrs Sue Cottam, Birmingham Research Park, University of Birmingham, Vincent Drive, B15 2SQ
Dear Dr Di Luca
Re: “Augmented Reality Music Ensemble”
Ethics Application ERN_09-528AP42
Thank you for the above application to use Programme of Work ERN_09-528P. This has now been considered by the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Ethical Review Committee.
On behalf of the Committee, I can confirm a favourable ethical opinion for this application.
I would like to remind you that any substantive changes to the nature of the study as described in the Application for Ethical Review, and/or any adverse events occurring during the study should be promptly brought to the Committee’s attention by the Principal Investigator and may necessitate further ethical review.
Please be aware that whilst Health and Safety (H&S) issues may be considered during the ethical review process, you are still required to follow the University’s guidance on H&S and to ensure that H&S risk assessments have been carried out as appropriate. For further information about this, please contact your School H&S representative or the University’s H&S Unit at .
If you require a hard copy of this correspondence, please let me know.
Kind regards
Mrs Susan Cottam
Research Ethics Manager
Research Strategy and Services Division
University of Birmingham
Video/phone: If you would like to arrange a Teams/Zoom/telephone call, please email me and I will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
Web:
Postal address: Mrs Sue Cottam, Birmingham Research Park, University of Birmingham, Vincent Drive, B15 2SQ
Dear Dr Di Luca
Re: “Evaluation System of Room Design”
Application to use Programme of Work ERN_09-528AP40
Thank you for the above application to use Programme of Work ERN_09-528P, which has now been considered by the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Ethical Review Committee.
On behalf of the Committee, I am pleased to confirm a favourable ethical opinion for your project, subject to your adherence to the following condition:
For clarification, as long as the condition above is met and the details of the proposed work do not change, your project has ethics approval and no further action is necessary.
I would like to remind you that any substantive changes to the nature of the study as described in the Application for Ethical Review, and/or any adverse events occurring during the study should be promptly brought to the Committee’s attention by the Principal Investigator and may necessitate further ethical review.
Please also ensure that the relevant requirements within the University’s Code of Practice for Research and the information andguidance provided on the University’s ethicswebpages (available at ) are adhered to and referred to in any future applications for ethical review. It is now a requirement on the revised application form ( ) to confirm that this guidance has been consulted and is understood, and that it has been taken into account when completing your application for ethical review.
If you require a hard copy of this correspondence, please let me know.
Kind regards
Mrs Susan Cottam
Research Ethics Manager
Research Strategy and Services Division
University of Birmingham
Video/phone: If you would like to arrange a Teams/Zoom/telephone call, please email me and I will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
Web:
Postal address: Mrs Sue Cottam, Birmingham Research Park, University of Birmingham, Vincent Drive, B15 2SQ
Dear Professor Wing
Re: “Peripheral neuropathy and aging touch”
Application for amendment ERN_09-528AP24A
Thank you for the above application for amendment, which was reviewed by the Science, Technology, Engineering andMathematics Ethical Review Committee.
On behalf of the Committee, I can confirm that this amendment now has full ethical approval.
I would like to remind you that any substantive changes to the nature of the study as now amended, and/or any adverse events occurring during the study should be promptly brought to the Committee’s attention by the Principal Investigator andmay necessitate further ethical review. A revised amendment application form is now available at . Please ensure this form is submitted for any further amendments.
Please also ensure that the relevant requirements within the University’s Code of Practice for Research and the information and guidance provided on the University’s ethics webpages (available at ) are adhered to andreferred to in any future applications for ethical review. It is now a requirement on the revised application form ( ) to confirm that this guidance has been consulted and is understood, andthat it has been taken into account when completing your application for ethical review.
Please be aware that whilst Health andSafety (H&S) issues may be considered during the ethical review process, you are still required to follow the University’s guidance on H&S and to ensure that H&S risk assessments have been carried out as appropriate. For further information about this, please contact your School H&S representative or the University’s H&S Unit at .
If you require a hard copy of this correspondence, please let me know.
Kind regards
Mrs Susan Cottam Research Ethics Manager Research Support Group
University of Birmingham
Email:
Video/phone: If you would like to arrange a Teams/Zoom/telephone call, please email me and I will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
Web:
Postal address: Mrs Sue Cottam, Finance Office, University of Birmingham, c\o Room 106 Aston Webb, B Block, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT.
Dear Professor Wing and Dr Di Luca
Re: “Active touch across the lifespan (tactile discrimination of single and multiple dots)”
Ethics Application ERN_09-528AP34
Thank you for the above application to use Programme of Work ERN_09-528P. This has now been considered by the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Ethical Review Committee.
On behalf of the Committee, I can confirm a favourable ethical opinion for this application.
I would like to remind you that any substantive changes to the nature of the study as described in the Application for Ethical Review, and/or any adverse events occurring during the study should be promptly brought to the Committee’s attention by the Principal Investigator and may necessitate further ethical review.
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