INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS

All research involving human subjects must be approved by the VIU Research Ethics Board (VIU REB). This is to ensure that all research involving human subjects complies with the highest ethical standards and with the Tri-Council Policy Statement on the Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans.

• When do you need ethics approval?
• What is the application process?
• faculty & graduate students
• undergraduate students
• Guidelines for researchers
• TCPS Tutorial (required for student researchers)
• Forms & Checklists

When do you need ethics approval?

All faculty and student research projects must be approved by the VIU REB. One exception is where the research is being conducted as part of a course requirement and the research has been approved by a Departmental Ethics Review Procedure .

Application Process – Faculty & Graduate Students

1. The application - All faculty and graduate student research projects must be approved by the VIU REB. Researchers must submit a completed the VIU REB application form, including relevant attachments, such as consent forms, questionnaires, interview questions, and advertisements for volunteers. The VIU REB has provided a number of Guidelines that may be helpful to researchers in preparing the applications. The application and attachments should be forwarded to the Research Ethics Officer, Lars Apland: electronic copies by email or 6 hard copies via campus/regular mail. All e-submissions should be in Word for Windows (.doc) or Rich Text Format (.rtf). Applications should be received at least 2 weeks in advance of the next the VIU REB meeting. This will ensure that it is able to be reviewed at the next the VIU REB meeting if a full review is required (see below).
2. The review - Once received, a determination will be made as to whether the application requires a full review or may be expedited. Research that involves vulnerable populations, deceit, or that presents more than a minimal risk to the participant must undergo a full review. Otherwise an expedited review is likely. A full review includes a face-to-face meeting of the VIU REB members, and therefore can take several weeks. An expedited review is accomplished by a sub-committee of the VIU REB, often over the phone or email; expedited reviews are generally completed within 2 weeks.
3. The decision - Once the application has been reviewed, the researcher will receive a message by email communicating that the application: (a) is approved without changes; (b) is conditionally approved pending changes; or (c) requires changes for further review. When significant changes are required for full review applications, it may require discussion at the next the VIU REB meeting. No data collection involving human subjects may take place until approval has been granted by the committee.

Application Process – Undergraduate Students

1. Departmental Review or VIU REB review? All undergraduate student research projects must be approved by the VIU REB or a Departmental Ethics Review Procedure that has been approved by the VIU REB. Undergraduate research involving  vulnerable populations, deceit, or that presents more than a minimal risk must be reviewed by the VIU REB. 
2. The TCPS Tutorial - Student researchers must have completed the TCPS tutorial at some time prior to submitting a research application for review by the VIU REB or to a Departmental Ethics Review Process. A copy of the certificate of completion is required with each application (students are only required to take the TCPS tutorial once).
3. The VIU REB application - If an VIU REB review is required, undergraduate student researchers must submit a completed the VIU REB application form, including relevant attachments, such as consent forms, questionnaires, interview questions, and advertisements for volunteers. A copy of the student’s TCPS tutorial certificate of completion must also be included.  The VIU REB has provided a number of Guidelines that may be helpful to researchers in preparing their applications. The application and attachments should be forwarded to the Research Ethics Officer, Lars Apland: electronic copies by email or 6 hard copies via campus/regular mail. All e-submissions should be in Word for Windows (.doc) or Rich Text Format (.rtf). Students must ensure that their supervisors have signed the application, indicating that the supervisor has carefully reviewed the application and believes it is ready for submission to the VIU REB. Emailed applications must be forwarded by the supervisor in order to meet the signature requirement. Applications should be received at least 2 weeks in advance of the next VIU REB meeting. This will ensure that it is able to be reviewed at the next VIU REB meeting if a full review is required (see below).
4. The review - Once received, a determination will be made as to whether the application requires a full review or may be expedited. Research that involves vulnerable populations, deceit or that presents more than a minimal risk to the subject must undergo a full review. Otherwise an expedited review is likely. A full review includes a face-to-face meeting of VIU REB members, and therefore can take several weeks. An expedited review is accomplished by a sub-committee of the VIU REB, often over the phone or email; expedited reviews are generally completed within 2 weeks.
5. The decision - Once the application has been reviewed, the researcher will receive a message by email communicating that the application: (a) is approved without changes; (b) is conditionally approved pending changes; or (c) requires changes for further review. When significant changes are required for full review applications, it may require discussion at the next VIU REB meeting. No data collection involving human subjects may take place until approval has been granted by the committee.