Ethics scrutiny of student research

1. Ethics scrutiny of student research Bridget Egan

2. Ethics scrutiny of student research ‘Does student research require a lower standard of ethical scrutiny?’* What constitutes a lower standard? Humphreys (2008) seems to imply that anything short of full review is of a ‘lower standard’. He identifies a ‘lack of apparent consistency between universities as to what level of scrutiny should be given to student research’ (p143) Is total consistency (across institutions, across disciplines, across programmes) possible? necessary? *Humphreys, S. (2008) ‘Does student research require a lower standard of ethical scrutiny?’ Research Ethics Review Vol. 4 No. 4 141-146

3. Ethics scrutiny of student research Why might student research be treated differently from staff research? • It is ‘practice at researching’ – done in order to learn how to research – rather than ‘practice of researching’ • It is unlikely to be put into the public domain • It is done under supervision, so the supervisor can act as PI and holds a watching brief

4. Ethics scrutiny of student research Why might student research be treated differently from staff research? • The student is not the PI (but is working on the project of a staff member) • There is too much - it distracts the attention of ethics scrutiny panels from the ‘important’ projects • Scrutiny by ethics panels/committees takes too long – students cannot get approval in time to do the work within the timeframes of their courses

5. Ethics scrutiny of student research Arguments for treating students in the same way as staff makes them examine the ethical dimensions of their work encourages them to consider the ‘bigger picture’. ensures that they treat research ethics seriously

6. Ethics scrutiny of student research ‘You can’t stop undergraduates asking silly questions’* If not, why not? Don’t undergraduate (and maybe some other) students (and their research participants) need to be protected from their own naïvety? In your disciplines, are there projects that students are not permitted to consider? *Scott, J. Rodham, K. Taylor, G & Turner-Cobb, J. (2008) “ ‘You can’t stop undergraduates asking silly questions’: academics’ views on submission of undergraduate student projects for ethical review” Research Ethics Review Vol 4. no.4 147-151

7. Ethics scrutiny of student research Role of the supervisor: What is or should be the role of the supervisor?

8. Ethics scrutiny of student research Levels of scrutiny: Undergraduate and MA work done as part of (e.g.) vocational degrees, but in particular modules which require very small-scale collection and analysis of data in the workplace: a checklist to be completed and handed in with the work

9. Ethics scrutiny of student research Levels of scrutiny: Undergraduate and MA dissertations Proposal form has a section for students to discuss the ethical dimensions of the work Ethics form scrutinised and countersigned by the supervisor, and lodged with the programme office. Students whose proposals are not approved by a given date not permitted to do empirical study. No data collection can happen prior to approval.

10. Ethics scrutiny of student research “I’m quite indulgent with my undergraduate students - we fill in the ethics forms together.” “What they write is quite descriptive – they write down what they know they’ve got to do, about information sheets and gaining consent, but they don’t really understand the questions on the ethics form”

11. Ethics scrutiny of student research Levels of scrutiny: PhD applications Proposal form has a section for students to discuss the ethical dimensions of the work Scrutiny by cross-faculty ethics panel (3/4 members) of Research Degrees Quality Committee, prior to sending the proposal to full scrutiny. Proposal does not go forward until ethics panel is satisfied.

12. Ethics scrutiny of student research “There’s a tension – you fill in the forms with your proposal at the beginning, but you don’t really get to grips with the complexity of working with living human subjects until you are in there in the research situation” PhD candidate (Education)

13. Ethics scrutiny of student research • Is total consistency (across institutions, across disciplines, across programmes) possible? necessary? • Do undergraduate (and maybe some other) students (and their research participants) need to be protected from their own naïvety? • Are there projects that students should not be permitted to consider? • What is or should be the role of the supervisor?