SSH IDREC and DREC application process

How to apply to the Social Sciences and Humanities Interdivisional Research Ethics Committee or departmental research ethics committees for ethics review

** CHRISTMAS CLOSURE: The SSH IDREC office will be closed from 21st December 2024 to 1st January 2025 (inclusive).  Full service will resume Monday 6th January 2025.**

 

The University requires the ethics review of research involving human participants or personal data, as set out in its Research Ethics Policy.

Ethics applications to the Social Sciences and Humanities Interdivisional Research Ethics Committee (SSH IDREC) and the departmental research ethics committees (DRECs) are submitted via the online ethics application system (Worktribe).

Please refer to the guidance within the Worktribe ethics applicant user guide.

Applicants from colleges or administrative departments are also welcome to submit ethics applications to the SSH IDREC.

 

N.B. Microsoft Word application forms are no longer accepted by the SSH IDREC or the DRECs.

 

Application process

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Remember that you must complete the core module of the University’s research ethics and integrity training before starting your research. 

It helps to explain your project methods and potential ethical issues clearly and simply in your application. The reviewers may not be experts in your discipline. 

It is much better to use your application to show that you have identified and addressed the ethical issues associated with your research than to try to downplay them. Showing that you have a good grasp of the ethical issues will give the reviewers confidence in your ability to address them throughout the course of your research.

 

You will receive an email confirming receipt of your application.

Applications will be categorised in the system as low, medium or high risk.  Information about the different risk categories.

Low risk applications (the equivalent to the previous CUREC 1B applications) are reviewed by a student's supervisor (if the applicant is a student) or by an academic colleague (if the applicant is a member of staff). Applicants should allow 30 calendar days for the review process.

Medium risk applications (the equivalent of the previous CUREC 1A and 1C applications) are reviewed by the DREC or by the SSH IDREC if the department does not have its own committee. Applicants should allow 30 calendar days for the review process.

High risk applications (the equivalent of the previous CUREC 2 applications) are reviewed by the DREC and by the SSH IDREC. Applicants should allow 60 calendar days for the review process.

Contact worktribe-ethics@it.ox.ac.uk with any questions about the new system.

 

Remember to include relevant supporting documents with your application, for example:

  • recruitment invitation letters, emails and adverts
  • information sheets
  • consent forms and consent scripts
  • surveys, questionnaires and interview questions 
  • a copy of the approved risk assessment, if relevant

The guidance on obtaining participants’ informed consent includes templates that you are welcome to use, but remember to adapt them to your project and to your participants.

 

Guidance for applications for devolved ethics review (formerly CUREC 1C)

 

 

Once your application has been reviewed, you will receive feedback, normally within 2 to 3 weeks. At this point the committee may request changes or further information. Refer to the applicant user guide for guidance on how to respond to the reviewers' comments.

You will receive a notification via the online ethics application system once your ethics application has been approved.  You will then be able to download the approval letter.  Refer to the applicant user guide for guidance on how to access this.

Note that research cannot start until the project has ethics approval.

Useful information

 

Our frequently asked questions include:

  • Do I need approval?
  • Completing the application
  • Data management

 

The Central University Research Ethics Committee (CUREC) best practice guidance documents cover a range of topics.

If one of CUREC’s Approved Procedures can be applied, the research can be considered medium risk rather than high risk. 

Information on the documents that will need to be prepared and submitted alongside the application form is provided in the Application process section. There are also instructions within the online ethics application system. 

 

Research integrity training is compulsory for all University research staff and research students.  Online research integrity training is available to all University staff and students via the course booking system CoSy.  Further information is available on the research integrity and ethics training page. 

An introductory course on research ethics at Oxford (Social Sciences and Humanities) takes place each term.

There is also a video-recording of a previous 'Introduction to research ethics (Social Sciences and Humanities)' training session. You will need to sign in with your University SSO.  You will not receive a certificate of completion after watching this, but it will be a useful general introduction to research ethics at Oxford.

 

You should allow 30 calendar days for the review of low and medium risk applications and 60 calendar days for the review of high risk applications. 

 

If you have any questions about the application process or about addressing the ethical issues in your research do contact your DREC administrator or the SSH IDREC Secretariat for advice.

Contact worktribe-ethics@it.ox.ac.uk with any questions about Worktribe Ethics.

Further information about the SSH IDREC, including the Committee's Standing Orders and a list of Committee members.

After approval

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As your project progresses, there may be reasons to make changes (for example to the duration, or to recruitment methods). If these changes alter the ethical frame of the project and thus require re-review, the proposed amendment will need to be reviewed by the ethics committee that reviewed the original application.

Amendments are to be submitted using the same system as the original ethics application.

If the original ethics application was made using a Microsoft Word application form, the amendment needs to be submitted using the SSH IDREC amendment form. Submit the amendment to ethics@socsci.ox.ac.uk or to your DREC for review. If the original application had been reviewed by both a DREC and the SSH IDREC (for example a CUREC 2) then the amendment must be submitted to the IDREC for review.

If the original application was submitted through Worktribe, the amendment will also need to be submitted through Worktribe. Refer to the Worktribe user guide for instructions.

The amended application form and any amended or new supporting documents will also need to be submitted. Accept any previous tracked changes and use track changes or a different colour to indicate the amendments within the documents.

 

The committee may ask to review your project, or for you to complete an annual progress report as part of routine monitoring exercises:

Please always make sure you have the most up-to-date study procedures, supporting information and approval letters to hand for ease of review.  

In extremely rare cases it may not be possible to approve an ethics application. An appeals procedure is available for appealing a decision to withhold, suspend or withdraw approval of research. Applicants are welcome to contact the DREC (if applicable) or IDREC Secretariat for informal advice ahead of submitting an appeal.

 

In the event that a complaint is made about research approved by this research ethics committee, it should be referred to RGEA.complaints@admin.ox.ac.uk 

Where it becomes apparent that there has been a serious breach of the terms of the ethical approval, this will be communicated to the research ethics committee.

Any complaints about the committee itself should be made to CUREC: curec@admin.ox.ac.uk

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