Guidance on ethical issues in research involving humans

Core topics

Core guidance topics - recommended reading for all researchers.

Definitions, capture, storage, retention and sharing of data relating to human participants or their samples.

Ensuring that participants' consent is informed and freely given, and that they have an appropriate right to withdraw consent.

Raising a concern or complaint about research involving human participants, their data or samples.

Considering the risk of distress and taking a 'trauma-informed' approach to research.

Other topics

Guidance relating to specific topics such as research methods or participant groups.

Guidance on ethics approval for projects involving citizen science

Research involving collaboration with other persons, Schools, Departments or organisations.

Research that needs to not reveal its true purpose to its participants up front.

Research in which there is a disparity of power or status between the researcher, or recruiter, and participants.

Guidance for collecting data via online or remote interviews and focus groups.

Research using online surveys or questionnaires to collect data.

Guidance for the ethical recruitment of participants for research.

Guidance for the use of secondary data sources for research involving humans.

Research using social media to recruit or interact with participants, or to collect data.

Research involving collection or use of human tissue or cell lines.