The Importance of Research Ethics
What We Do
The Research Ethics Board at Lambton College is committed to ensuring that research involving human conducted at or under the auspices of the College is executed with the highest ethical standards. The Research Ethics Board reviews research projects to ensure they adhere to the federally mandated Tri-Council Policy Statement and the Ethical Conduct & Policy for Research Involving Humans (2000-3-1) policy.
Applicants Should be Aware of the Following
- All research involving human participants must undergo a Research Ethics review before participant recruitment and data collection can begin.
- Applicants who submit minimal risk projects can anticipate a response within 10 business days.
- Applicants submitting above minimum risk projects should refer to the submission deadlines posted and can anticipate a response within 15 days of the submission deadline.
- Researchers are encouraged to apply to the Research Ethics Board well in advance of their targeted project start date to avoid project delays.
- The Research Ethics Board does not accept applications for review during the months of July and August.
Does your Project Require an Ethics Review?
There are activities that involve human participants that are not research activities. The following examples are exempt from ethics reviews:
- Quality assurance or program evaluations conducted solely to assess or improve operations
- Student assignments that involve human participants with the goal of teaching clinical skills are not considered research
- Some research involving human participants is exempt from ethics review when protection for participants is available through other means - examples include:
- Research that relies exclusively on publicly available information
- Research that relies on secondary use of anonymous information
- Research involving observation of people in public places, with no intervention staged by the researcher
Still Unsure?
If you are unsure if your project required ethics review, please contact reb@lambtoncollege.ca for guidance.
Submission Deadlines
Regularly scheduled monthly meetings are held to review above minimal risk research applications. Minimal risk projects are subject to a delegated review outside of monthly meetings.
Projects will not be reviewed during the months of July and August. Complete applications must be submitted by the deadlines indicated below:
- November 29, 2023
- January 10, 2024
- February 7, 2024
- March 6, 2024
- April 3, 2024
- May 1, 2024
- May 29, 2024
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Researchers are encouraged to apply to the REB well in advance of their target project start date to avoid project delays.