DFM Guideline: Ethics protocol checklist
Each research team within the Dried Fish Matters project will need to obtain approval from the University of Manitoba Ethics Review Board prior to beginning research. The ethics clearance process can take up to two months after the date of submission, so it is important to make an early start.
Each team will be required to prepare the following documents as part of their ethics protocol. Insofar as possible we will try to develop shared templates for each of these items.
❏ Certificate of completion for the TCPS CORE Course on Research Ethics (must be completed by each Team Leader). This is an online tutorial that takes about 3 hours to complete, and that introduces the main requirements for Canadian government-funded research. Access the tutorial here: http://tcps2core.ca/welcome.
❏ Recruitment script, posters, email template, etc. that will be used to invite people to participate in the research.
❏ Consent form. All research participants will typically be expected to sign a form indicating that they have understood and agree to the risks, benefits, and conditions of participating in the research, and that they agree voluntarily to take part in the research project. See the separate template for this.
❏ Research instruments – survey questionnaire or question guide, instructions for field researchers, etc.
❏ Oath of Confidentiality. Assistants and other team members must complete and sign an Oath of Confidentiality indicating that they are aware of, and agree to follow, the privacy and confidentiality terms of the research. We have prepared a standard template for this document. It should be updated to include your institution’s logo and address, along with any other relevant information.
❏ Ethics questionnaire. We will complete and submit the ethics protocol to the University of Manitoba Ethics Review Board based on your responses to the questions in this document.
❏ Data Management plan. See the general template for this, which should be adjusted to the types of data you intend to collect.
❏ Letters of permission received or sent to each organization/community that will be involved in the research. You should obtain formal permission if you are collecting data from employees of a company, interviewing in a private space (such as a private market or processing plant), or studying any organization or community that has a formal administrative structure or representation for its members.
