Human Participants

Graduate, Undergraduate courses; Undergraduate theses, Independent projects and Graduate MRPs

All research involving human participants for graduate and undergraduate courses; Undergraduate theses, Independent projects and Graduate Major Research Papers (MRPs) that is non-funded and minimal-risk must be reviewed by the relevant unit level Delegated Ethics Review Committee. Research subject to review includes, but is not limited to: surveys, questionnaires, interviews, participant observation and secondary data analysis.

For the purposes of research ethics review, “minimal risk” research is defined by the TCPS as research in which the probability and magnitude of possible harms implied by participation in the research is no greater than those encountered by participants in those aspects of their everyday life that relate to the research.

NOTE: Research conducted by students that is more than minimal risk and /or involves Aboriginal/Indigenous peoples and/or involves clinical trials, must be reviewed by the Human Participants Review Committee (HPRC). For these types of research, students are required to complete the HPRC protocol form. Please contact the Office of Research Ethics (ORE) at ore@yorku.ca for further information.

For more information on ethics review requirements for Graduate and Undergraduate course-related research and MRPS, please go to, “Ethics Review Requirements" for Course-Related Research by Students.

When Is Ethics Review Required?

All research involving human participants is considered research subject to review. The Principal Investigator (researcher) of any research project involving human participants:

• MUST have a protocol that describes how the researcher(s) will interact with the human participants; and
• MUST have that protocol reviewed and approved by the appropriate Research Ethics Committee before the  research commences; and
• MUST obtain informed consent from ALL research participants. For minor age participants (Those under the age of 16 for minimal risk research), both parental consent and participant assent is required.

All undergraduate and graduate student researchers must complete the TCPS tutorial to establish that they have completed the necessary education component and attach their certificate of completion to their protocols. Protocols will not be accepted for review unless a valid TCPS tutorial certificate is attached.

NOTE:  Failure to obtain ethics approval prior to the commencement of Research Activities is considered both a breach of Senate Policy as well as research misconduct.  All such instances of non-compliance will be addressed by the appropriate institutional office.

What Forms Do I Use and Where Do I Submit Them?

If you are a Graduate or Undergraduate Course Director:

If the students in your graduate or undergraduate course are conducting research involving human participants as part of a course assignment, and all students in the class are conducting the same or similar research, then proceed as follows:

1. Complete the Generic Protocol: Course Related Research Involving Human Participants  linked in the Resources & Forms below
2. Submit the completed Protocol Package (Protocol form, Consent document(s), copies of TCPS certificate(s) and other relevant documents linked in the Resources & Forms below) (such as survey tools, questionnaires, recruitment materials etc) to the relevant Unit level Delegated Ethics Review Committee

If you are an Undergraduate Student:

If you are conducting research involving human participants, as part of an undergraduate course assignment, or as an individual project (either for the class or for an undergraduate thesis), then proceed as follows:

1. Complete the Individualized Protocol: Course Related Research Involving Human Participants, linked in the Resources & Forms below;
2. Submit the completed Protocol Package (Protocol form, Consent document(s), copies of TCPS certificate(s) and other relevant documents linked in the Resources & Forms below) (such as survey tools, questionnaires, recruitment materials etc) to the relevant Unit level Delegated Ethics Review Committee  for review and approval.

If you are a Graduate Student:

1. If you are conducting research involving human participants, as part of a graduate course assignment, then proceed as follows: 
   1. Complete the Individualized Protocol: Course Related Research Involving Human Participants linked in the Resources & Forms below;
   2. Submit the completed Protocol Package (Protocol form, Consent document(s), copies of TCPS certificate(s) and other relevant documents linked in the Resources & Forms below) (such as survey tools, questionnaires, recruitment materials etc) to the relevant  Unit level Delegated Ethics Review Committee  for review and approval.
2. If you are conducting research involving human participants, in support of a Major Research Paper, then proceed as follows: 
   1. Complete the MRP Protocol: Research Involving Human Participants linked in the Resources & Forms below;
   2. Submit the MRP protocol package (Protocol, Consent document(s), copies of TCPS certificate(s)and other relevant documents linked in the Resources & Forms below) such as survey tools, questionnaires, recruitment materials etc) to your Supervisory/Advisory Committee for approval and signature;
   3. Submit the signed MRP Protocol package the relevant Unit level Delegated Ethics Review Committee for review and approval. .