4. Research HRECs are required by the National Statement to ensure all applications meet the requirement for ‘research merit and integrity’. In the introduction to Chapter 1 the National Statement says: “Unless proposed research has merit, and the researchers who are to carry out the research have integrity, the involvement of human participants in the research cannot be ethically justifiable”. Chapter 1.2, however, notes that: “Where prior peer review has judged that a project has research merit, the question of its research merit is no longer subject to the judgement of those ethically reviewing the research”. Research projects should therefore be effectively reviewed for academic merit before the application reaches the HREC. In this section of the application form, we ask applicants to assure the HREC that the research proposal (including the aims and methodology) has undergone a sufficiently rigorous review of its academic merit. A thorough review of the ethics application is not the purpose of this section. applications do not convincingly demonstrate adequate review of the project’s academic merit, the HREC may seek an independent review of academic merit from an expert the Committee deems appropriate. Is this research project being undertaken as part of: A PhD or Masters thesis (under supervision). Please complete section 4A below. An Honours thesis supervision). Please complete section 4B below. An academic/government research project. Please complete section 4C below. 4A School approval for PhD/Masters by Research Thesis Has the research proposal for this project (not the ethics application) successfully completed a full School review for research merit by people with relevant expertise who are not named as investigators on this application? Please note that sign-off by the Head of School is not sufficient, by itself, to constitute School approval. Yes Continue on to questions below No Do not submit this ethics application until School approval is complete Has the HDR candidate successfully completed confirmation of candidature for the research project underpinning this ethics application? Yes Date of confirmation of candidature completion: No Continue on to questions below If candidature has not been confirmed, what was the nature of the School approval? Now continue on to questions below:
10. Participants Number of Participants How many participants do you intend to recruit? Provide research justification for the number of participants you intend to recruit (this question relates to research justification for your sampling approach). Selection of Participants Clearly describe the experimental and, where relevant, control groups. Include details of sex, age range, and any special characteristics (ethnic origin, demographic details, health status etc). Give a justification for your choice of participant Will the project involve any of the following participants? Please indicate how each of the following 'types of research participants’ will be involved in the project. Primary intent of (or affected by) research Possible coincidental recruitment Design specifically excludes (a) Pregnant Women? (NS 4.1) (b) Minors, i.e. children under 18 years of age? (NS 4.2) (c) People highly dependent on medical care who may be unable to give consent? (NS 4.4) (d) People with a cognitive impairment, an intellectual disability, or mental illness? (NS 4.5) (e) People who may be involved in illegal activities? (NS 4.6) (f) People in other countries? (NS 4.8) (g) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples? (NS 4.7)