The ethics 'guidebook': An online training resource and practical guide to ethics processes and procedures for social research.
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Thomas Coram Research Unit
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Publications
Boddy J
(2013)
Research across cultures, within countries: Hidden ethics tensions in research with children and families?
in Progress in Development Studies
Boddy, J.
(2010)
The Research Ethics Guidebook: A Resource for Social Scientists.
Boddy, Janet
(2015)
Researching social life
Gilbert N
(2015)
Researching social life: fourth edition
Wiles R
(2013)
Introduction to the Special Issue: Research Ethics in Challenging Contexts
in Methodological Innovations Online
| Description | The project developed an online 'Research Ethics Guidebook' for the social science research community: http://www.ethicsguidebook.ac.uk The aim was to develop an interactive guide to ethics considerations and regulatory procedures that can apply to social science research, bringing together information from a variety of sources in an accessible website. There are signposts to more detailed information, and prompts for reflection and questioning at all stages of the research process. An interactive 'ethics principles page' is built around the six key ethics principles in the ESRC Framework for Research Ethics. The website offers a resource for both social science researchers early in their careers and for more experienced colleagues: • Researchers: To help with writing a research proposal, applying for ethics approval, or dealing with ethics dilemmas that arise during a project. • Undergraduate and postgraduate students: As a resource for research methods assignments or discussions, or when carrying out student research projects. • Research supervisors: To help students negotiate ethics at different stages of the research process, and as a tool for reflecting on supervisors' responsibilities in relation to ethics in student research. • Staff development: For training of ethics committee members or research supervisors. The Guidebook website was developed by a multi-disciplinary team at the Institute of Education, University of London. The process of development included consultation with key stakeholders (representing research funders, regulatory bodies, professional associations, and academic experts), and was informed by user testing at the Institute of Education and in other academic centres in the UK. |
| Exploitation Route | The Ethics Guidebook website has been recommended as a resource for academic faculty and students by universities including Cambridge, Oxford, Birkbeck, Bath, Glasgow, Leeds, Sheffield. It has also had impact nationally and internationally in developing the PI's role as an advisor on ethics issues, for organisations including ESRC (revisions to the Framework for Research Ethics) and European Research Council (Ethics Assessment Expert Panel) as well as UK government (e.g., advising DfE on research governance in children's services). |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education |
| URL | http://www.ethicsguidebook.ac.uk |
| Description | The Ethics Guidebook website has been recommended as a resource for academic faculty and students by universities including Cambridge, Oxford, Birkbeck, Bath, Glasgow, Leeds, Sheffield. It has also had impact nationally and internationally in developing the PI's role as an advisor on ethics issues, for organisations including ESRC (revisions to the Framework for Research Ethics) and European Research Council (Ethics Assessment Expert Panel) as well as UK government (e.g., advising DfE on research governance in children's services). |
| First Year Of Impact | 2010 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Advisory work for DCSF |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Advisory work for ESRC Framework for Research Ethics |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | I participated in a working group revising the ESRC Framework for Research Ethics in 2010. The FRE is currently being revised again, and I am part of the current advisory group working on the revisions. |
| URL | http://www.esrc.ac.uk/about-esrc/information/research-ethics.aspx |
| Description | Advisory work with Childwatch and UNICEF on development of the childethics.com website |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | I have participated in advisory work with a team of researchers, coordinated by Childwatch Internation and UNICEF, developing the website www.childethics.com Specifically, I hosted and participated in an initial planning meeting in London, which led to subsequent development of the web resource. I also advised responsively through the course of web development, and contributed an invited paper to an international seminar hosted by Childwatch on childhood research ethics. |
| URL | http://childethics.com/ |
| Description | Membership of ADCS Research Advisory Group |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | Discussions aim to improve the regulatory environment for research with children and families using English children's services. Examples of developments arising from the work of the ADCS advisory group include the Reason website (see below) |
| URL | http://reason-network.org.uk/ |
| Description | Revising the ESRC Framework for Research Ethics (2016) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | The influence has involvement substantial revisions to the Framework for Research Ethics which draw closely on the work of the Ethics Guidebook. |
| URL | http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding/guidance-for-applicants/research-ethics/ |
| Description | ESRC National Centre for Research Methods Workshop Funding |
| Amount | £1,200 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | course code EDI-08-16/17-P-R |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Department | ESRC National Centre for Research Methods |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2017 |
| End | 09/2017 |
| Description | Pilot study with Nuffield Council on Bioethics |
| Amount | £8,660 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Nuffield Council on Bioethics |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2013 |
| End | 03/2014 |
| Description | Research Governance in Children's Services: A scoping study |
| Amount | £55,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Department for Education |
| Department | Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| End | 03/2010 |
| Description | Advisory work for Department of Children Schools and Families (now DfE) |
| Organisation | Department for Education |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Following work on the Ethics Guidebook, I was invited to join an advisory group concerned with research governance in English children's services. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Richard Bartholomew, as Chief Scientist in the Research Division, led this work. |
| Impact | Research funding from DCSF for a study of research governance in children's services. |
| Start Year | 2010 |
| Description | Advisory work for ESRC |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | From 2009-2010, and again 2014-2016, I have been part of working groups advising ESRC on revisions to the Framework for Research Ethics. |
| Collaborator Contribution | ESRC revising and updating the FRE. |
| Impact | Revisions to the FRE published in 2010, and further revisions in progress. |
| Start Year | 2009 |
| Description | European Research Council Ethics Assessment Expert Panel |
| Organisation | European Research Council (ERC) |
| Country | Belgium |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Participation in ethics screening and full ethics assessment (remote review and expert panel). |
| Collaborator Contribution | ERC requires ethics screening through ERCEA for proposals recommended for funding. |
| Impact | NA |
| Start Year | 2010 |
| Description | NSPCC |
| Organisation | National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Following my work on the Ethics Guidebook, I was invited to become a member of the NSPCC Ethics Review Committee. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Review of NSPCC research and evaluation. |
| Impact | NA |
| Start Year | 2011 |