Honours Thesis Ethic Proposals - Procedure

The Faculty of Arts administers an Honours Ethics Committee that processes all Disciplinary Honours-level ethics applications on behalf of the University Ethics Office. In 2009, the Chair of this Committee is Associate Professor Ian Maxwell and the secretariat is Ms Ghada Daher.

The procedure to have your Honours thesis ethic proposal considered by the Faculty Honours Ethics Committee is as follows:

What type of research needs ethics approval?

As a general principle, any research involving human subjects requires ethics approval, including projects involving the following kinds of methodologies (note: the list is not exhaustive):

1. questionnaires;
2. surveys or interviews (including oral history);
3. telephone interviewing;
4. recording by audio- or video-tape;
5. observations of behaviour (including ethnographic fieldwork).

Note that a key part of the approval process involves ensuring that the University complies with its duty of care to students. Safety protocols must be prepared for all students conducting any research off-campus, whether in Australia or oversees.

If you have any doubts as to whether to proceed with an application for Ethics Approval, please contact Ian Maxwell.

The Application process:

1. Fill out the standard ethics clearance form. Make sure you use the correct form for Humanities and Sciences Research Involving Humans.
2. Note that student projects that involve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and/or involve meeting individuals in their places of residence for interviews etc. are not covered by this scheme. These proposals must still go to the University Ethics Committee. http://www.usyd.edu.au/ethics/human/
3. The Faculty Committee may still forward some difficult ethics submissions to the University Ethics Committee for consideration.
4. Submit an original application, including attachments (unstapled) plus six (6) copies, including attachments (stapled) to Ms Ghada Daher, Secretariat Administration Officer, in the Faculty of Arts Office (Room J2.05 Quadrangle – at the bottom of the Western Tower stairs) by 4pm on the closing date of submission. No late submissions will be accepted.
5. The submissions must be typewritten or word-processed. Handwritten applications will not be accepted.
6. Before you submit your application, you are required to have it authorised by the relevant Head of School. If the Head of School is your supervisor, the application must be signed off by the Pro-Dean. This can be arranged via the Faculty Office.

The closing dates for submission for 2009 are:

• 28 August (Committee meets on 11 September)
• 16 October (Committee meets on 30 October)
• 27 November (Committee meets on 11 December)

Contact Details:

Ms Ghada Daher, Faculty Secretariat Officer, , 9031 2209
Associate Professor Ian Maxwell, , 9351 6847