Human Research Ethics procedures for staff and students
All research involving human subjects by students and staff in the School of Historical Studies should conform to the Melbourne Research Office Human Ethics protocols that support ethical research. Before any such research is undertaken proposals should be submitted to the School Human Ethics Advisory Group (HEAG) for consideration, feedback and, if appropriate, approval. The following kinds of research require ethics approval:
- gathering information about human beings (and organisations) through interviewing, surveying, questionnaires, observation of human behaviour, audio/video taping;
- using archived data in which living individuals are identifiable;
- studying or researching illegal activities
Ethics approval may also be required where, as part of the assessment requirements in a particular subject, students are asked to undertake research involving human subjects.
RESEARCH MUST NOT COMMENCE UNTIL ETHICS CLEARANCE HAS BEEN OBTAINED
Who doesn't need approval?
See Policy on work exempt from review.
What do I do first?
Visit the Research Office Human Ethics website at www.research.unimelb.edu.au/humanethics/. Here you will find the relevant policies, application and reporting procedures, important contacts and resources.
If you are a student, discuss your project with your supervisor(s). Your supervisor is there to advise you, to help you develop your project and give due consideration to the ethical issues involved. They should also read over your application for clarity. The supervisor also oversees the project once it is underway. You can also seek assistance from relevant members of the School HEAG (see below).
What is the role of the School HEAG?
Your HEAG provides advice to researchers and to the Human Ethics Sub-Committee (HESC) about the academic validity of research projects, their ethical implications as well as compliance with guidelines and legislation.
How do I submit an ethics application?
Human Ethics applications are to be submitted electronically via Themis www.themis.unimelb.edu.au and, specifically, the Human Ethics Workbench. Hard copies of these applications, appropriately signed, are also required.
All University of Melbourne researchers including Research Higher Degree students have ready access to Themis, however other students requiring access may need to arrange this through their supervisor or the School HEAG administrator. For further details regarding access and submission of the application to Themis see www.research.unimelb.edu.au/humanethics/processes/.
Attachments – The Consent Form and the Plain Language Statement
The two most important documents to be scrutinized by relevant ethics committees are the Plain Language Statement and the Consent Form. These documents are so important because they are supplied to participants, and for this reason they must clearly communicate the aims of your research and the benefits to participants.
Guidelines on what to include in the PLS and Consent Form are provided in the application form itself and via the Human Ethics Website.
To assist you we have included for download sample PLS, Consent forms and applications for different project types covered in our school:
- Oral History: Sample PLS and Consent form and Application for an Oral History Project (coming soon)
- CCMC: For Sample PLS and Consent form, Application for a CCMC project involving interviews with artists, and other CCMC ethics considerations, please see the CCMC ethics page.
- Classics & Archaeology: Sample PLS and Consent form and Application for Classics and Archaeology (coming soon)