School of Psychology and Sport Science Research Ethics

Any research project under taken within the College of Medicine and Health, that involves human participants must adhere to the Research Ethics Policy outlined in the guidelines and procedures.

The College’s Research Ethics Committee will ensure that research performed within, or supported by, the College of Medicine and Health is conducted in an ethical manner and in accordance with the University Research Ethics Framework.

For more information, please consult the documentation on this website or contact comh.ethics@bangor.ac.uk.

Who needs to submit an ethics application through the Ethics system?

If your project involves collecting primary data from human or animal subjects, it requires ethics approval from one of the two academic research ethics committees (AREC) in the College of Medicine and Health, the School of Psychology and Sports Science AREC or Medical and Health Sciences AREC. This applies to all staff and students (undergraduate and postgraduate).

If you are only using publicly available secondary data, i.e. data that has been collected by somebody else, census data, peerreviewed research, documents from national archives, with no human participation or identifiable personal data involved. Then you SHOULD not require ethics approval, however, from a research governance perspective, we would like to retain a copy of your full methodological protocol on the ethics database. Please send the document to the ethics shared mailbox comh.ethics@bangor.ac.uk .

How to submit an application?

All new Research Ethics Applications will need to be made through the Infonetica system. The first step is to carefully read the following documents:

After you have read the documents, yourself or your supervisor will need to submit an application via the Infonetica site.

Information for UG and PGT Student Applicants

If you are an undergraduate or taught postgraduate student, your ethics application must be created and submitted by your supervisor. The supervisor must list you as a co-investigator.

Optionally, your supervisor can grant you a role to allow collaboration on filling out the form. The supervisor will first need to create a new application, provide a title, and then grant you a role and let them fill it out. The supervisor will then come in at the end and sign it to allow submission.

If your supervisor wishes, they can do the whole submission themselves on your behalf. You will still have sight of the application because you will be listed as a co-investigator and will need to sign the form before it can be submitted.

Information for PGR Student Applicants

All new projects requiring an ethical review will need to be submitted here: Infonetica applicant site. Access the system via Single Sign On (SSO) using your university Microsoft login and MFA . If you are unable to login please raise a Helpdesk case by e-mailing: helpdesk@bangor.ac.uk

Training

Training slides on how to navigate and use the platform can be found on the site itself under Help > Help.

Recordings and slides from Applicant and Reviewer training sessions are also available in the ‘Help’ section of each portal.

In addition, links to the portals and slides are available via the Digital Services Infonetica Ethics RM page

If you are the one submitting an application, you must list your supervisor as a co-investigator. You can also grant your supervisor a role to allow collaboration on filling out the form.

You can find a template of the questions you will be asked on the site here. You may find useful to go over this with your supervisor prior to submitting an application. The site itself will let you skip the non-applicable sections.

Information for Staff Applicants

All new projects requiring an ethical review will need to be submitted here: Infonetica applicant site. Training slides on how to navigate and use the platform can be found on the site itself under Help > Help. Should you require further assistance, you can contact the College Infonetica administrator at d.dingeo@bangor.ac.uk

How long does it take to get a project approved?

Approval via the Infonetica system should take up to 30 days, though we strive for a shorter turnaround with light touch projects. In the case of sensitive projects that need to be considered at university level, the process can take even longer.

Sensitive Research

Bangor University supports its researchers in undertaking valid research using sensitive material. As part of this support, it recognises its responsibility to ensure that researchers are protected from a misinterpretation of intent by authorities which may lead to legal sanctions. It is therefore essential that the University is aware of such research, and authorises it through the appropriate ethical processes, before the research commences, thereby allowing the University to demonstrate that it is aware of the project and that it has been through the appropriate review process. If you are unsure if your research falls into “sensitive research” but think it might, please contact the chair of the most appropriate AREC (the one for your school) and discuss with them.

Sponsorship

Under UK legislation, medical or health-related studies involving NHS patients or their families, premises, resources, NHS data or human tissue are required to go before an NHS research ethics committee under Health Research Care/HealthCare Research Wales/Health Research Authority approval processes see UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research). The same is true for certain other types of study such as those involving adult social care services across England and Wales, individuals under the probation or prison services, the use of medical devices, ionising radiation or certain genetic interventions. Under this system, submitting a study to an NHS or Social Care Research Ethics Committee through the Integrated Research Application System (IRAS) requires first the university to undertake the role of study 'sponsor'. Study sponsors take responsibility for the appropriate conduct and completion of a study in accordance with legal requirements and standards of good practice (including any measures specified by research ethics review).

To check if you need NHS research ethics and need sponsorship please visit the HRA Research Decision Tool or Student Research Toolkit.

For further information and guidance on sponsorship requirements please contact the College Manager, Dr Huw Roberts.

Ethical Approval from other institutions /organisations

Research to be undertaken outside the UK or involving partners from outside the UK, carries an additional level of responsibility and scrutiny and researchers should ensure that they have considered fully any legal requirements and those of any relevant professional bodies. Please carefully review the Research Ethics Policy from paragraph 4.4 to 4.7.

Research Governance

Even if you do not submit your project for ethical approval, you are still required to inform the School of Psychology and Sport Science that the research is taking place. This process is in place to confirm that your project does not require ethical approval.

Project Registration/Review for Secondary Data Analysis

This is only for projects involving the analysis of secondary data, sourced exclusively from previously published, peer reviewed research, with no human participation or identifiable personal data involved. Prior to the Research commencing, please download the Project Registration/Review Form here, along with a copy of your research proposal and your full methodological protocol and send to comh.ethics@bangor.ac.uk for consideration. Further guidance on secondary data analysis is included in the Research Policy.

Useful Resources

Bangor University Guidance

For access to BCUHB Research Governance Policy and Standard Operating Procedures please contact Dr Huw Roberts.