CHECKLIST 1 Ethics Committee Faculty of Technology University of Portsmouth Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate Ethics Information: The 12-point

Checklist This document describes the issues that you need to consider before you start your investigations. This is particularly important where your work may involve other people (that is, the participants) as a means for the collection of information as part of your assessed exercises or project, even if this is by means of a survey or questionnaire. 1. Will the participants be exposed to any risks greater than those encountered in their normal lifestyle? Yes No

For example: could the study induce psychological stress or anxiety; is more than mild discomfort or pain likely to result from the study; will the study involve prolonged or repetitive activities? Investigators have a responsibility to protect participants from physical and mental harm during the investigation. The risk of harm must be deemed to be no greater than in their normal lifestyle. 2. Will the participants be exposed to any non-standard hardware or any non-validated instruments, or non-scrutinized questionnaires? Participants should not be exposed to any risks associated with the use of non-standard equipment: anything other than pen-and-paper or typical interactions with desktop, laptop PCs, PDAs or mobile phones are considered non-standard (for example, using the VR room) nor should they be subjected to non-validated instruments, or non-scrutinised questionnaires. 3. Will all participants voluntarily consent to take part in this study? If the results of the evaluation are likely to be used beyond the term of the project (for example, the software is to be deployed, or the data is to be published), then signed consent is necessary. A separate consent form should be signed by each participant. Otherwise, verbal consent is sufficient, and should be explicitly requested in the introductory script. 4. Will any financial, or other, inducements (other than reasonable expenses and compensation for time) be offered to participants? The payment of participants must not be used to coerce them against their better judgment, or to induce them to risk harm beyond that which they risk without payment in their normal lifestyle. 5. Does the study involve participants who are unable to give informed consent? (for example: children under 18, people with learning disabilities, unconscious patients). Parental consent is required for participants under the age of 18. Additional consent is required for participants with impairments, and people assessed to be lacking in mental capacity. If consent is gained from a person other than the participant, subject (i.e. the actual participant) assent must be obtained.

6. Are you in a position of authority or influence over any of the participants?

A person in a position of authority or influence over any participant must not be allowed to pressurize participants to take part in, or remain in, any study.
7. Are the participants being provided with sufficient details of the study at an appropriate level of understanding? All participants should be able to understand the information provided in any documentation and/or verbal information they receive about the experiment. They have the right to withdraw at any time during the investigation, and they must be able to contact the investigator after the investigation. This information should be in the introductory script. 8. After the study, will participants be provided with feedback about their involvement and be able to ask any questions they may have about this involvement? If the participants request further information, the investigator must provide the participants with sufficient details to enable them to understand the nature of the investigation and their part in it. They should be given the details of both student and unit co-ordinator or supervisor as part of the debriefing. 9. Will the participants be informed of the true aims and objectives of the study? Withholding information or misleading participants is unacceptable if participants are likely to object or show unease when debriefed. It must be clear to participants if information is being withheld in order to elicit a true response. This should precede any analysis of the data. 10. If appropriate, will the data collected from the participants be made available to others involved in this study, and be stored and/or published in an anonymous form, or securely disposed of? If appropriate, all participant data (hard-copy and soft-copy) should be made available to other co-workers, and, if appropriate, stored securely, in an anonymous form. The identity of any participant, or any information which would enable them to be identified, may not be revealed without the participant's prior consent in writing. If the data is not to be kept, then it should be securely disposed of, e.g. shredded. 11. Will the study involve NHS patients, staff, or premises? If yes, then an application must be made to the appropriate external NHS Local Research Ethics Committee (LREC). For projects other than postgraduate studies, the length of time for gaining external approval may not fit into the timescale for the project. 12. Will the study involve the investigator and/or any participants, in activities that could be considered contentious, unacceptable, or illegal? If yes, then further approval must be sought For example; a project involving a study of pornography on the web will fall into this category. It is possible that the project may not be allowed to proceed.

By signing this form, I AGREE to abide by the decisions made in the above points. If at any time during my project, my answers would change from a white box to a grey box, then I MUST seek re-approval for my project. I understand that if I do not do so, then I may FAIL the project component of my course.

Student name: . HEMIS number:

Signature: ....

Date: ..