Ethical Clearance Application Instructions (ECAI) at SEBS

(for Honours and Masters by Coursework only*)

ETHICS PROCESS

Ethics clearance is required for all students who are doing research in the School (both
where participants are human subjects, and when the research is based on existing data
sources). No data collection can start without first having an ethics clearance and protocol
number issued. Where research is based on existing data sources, the ethics application will
be a mere formality so that an ethics clearance certificate and protocol number can be
issued. Nevertheless the researcher must still apply for ethics clearance before the research
starts so that the ethics committee can ascertain the data collection procedure. Faculty will
not allow a postgraduate research report to be submitted without an ethical clearance
certificate which has been obtained prior to data collection.

The SEBS Ethics Committee only gives ethics clearance for all Honours and Coursework
Masters research.

*Research Masters and Doctoral research, as well as Staff research projects must be cleared
by the University Human Research Ethics Committee. Please refer to the University’s
Research website@ http://intranet.wits.ac.za/academic/uro/Pages/Humn-Research-Ethics-
Committee-Non-Medical.aspx

STEP 1: ETHICS CLEARANCE APPLICATION FORM

The students must obtain an electronic application pack from the SEBS Research
Administrator Ms. Siyabonga Molaba; email: Ethics-SEBS@wits.ac.za , or from supervisors.

STEP 2: COMPLETION AND CHECK OF ETHICS APPLICATION PACK

Students need to complete the ethics clearance application form and attach all supporting
documents. Please read the application document guidelines to assist you in completing the
form. Submit the pack to your supervisor to review and sign. Supervisors must make sure
that the form is fully completed, all supporting documents are attached, and the form
signed off. Incomplete applications will need to be re-submitted for the next deadline a
month later, thus unnecessarily delaying the start of data collection.

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STEP 3: SUBMISSION OF PACK

It is the responsibility of each student to submit his/her electronic packs to the research
administrator on the last 3rd Thursday of the month at the latest, and at least TWO months
before commencement of data collection:

Please note that NO data collection can start BEFORE an ethics clearance certificate is
issued. An ethics clearance certificate will NOT be issued AFTER the research has been
conducted.

 The pack must include the following in electronic format:

a) Completed ethics application form; Research instrument e.g. letter to
participants; letter of consent from the site where the research is being
conducted, Questionnaire and Research proposal.
b) All electronic ethics applications have to be made in MS Word format.
c) All scanned documents have to be submitted in a standard, vertically oriented
format.
d) Where signatures are required, the original MS Word document (without
signatures), as well as a scanned PDF document (with signatures) have to be
submitted.

Failure to submit all the forms, all the required accurate information and supporting
documents will cause unnecessary delay in obtaining ethics clearance.

STEP 4: FEEDBACK

a) Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application 10 working days after
submission.

b) Successful applications:
 If approved: The research administrator will provide the supervisors and applicants
with ethics clearance certificates.

c) Partially successful applications:

 If the application requires minor corrections, the applicant will be informed by email
within 10 days of submission, and corrections will need to be submitted within 2
weeks of reception of the email.

d) Unsuccessful applications/ major corrections:

 If the application is unsuccessful, rejected or has major corrections, the applicant will
need to meet with the Chair of the Ethics Committee and a new application will need
to be submitted on the last 3rd Thursday of the month.

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STEP 5: DATA COLLECTION

The student can now go ahead with data collection. It is the responsibility of the student to
attach a copy of the ethics approval form to his/her dissertation upon final hand-in.

DATES FOR ETHICS SUBMISSIONS:

Submission Deadlines

15 February 2018

22 March 2018

19 April 2018

24 May 2018

21 June 2018

19 July 2018

23 August 2018

20 September 2018

18 October 2018

22 November 2018

Submission times are from 08:00am - 15:00pm to: Ethics-SEBS@wits.ac.za

PLEASE NOTE: NO LATE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.