How is research defined for ethical review purposes?
The definition of “research” used for the purpose of ethical review draws upon both the definition used by HEFCE and the definition used within the ESRC’s Research Ethics Framework. Research is to be understood as “original investigation undertaken in order to gain knowledge and understanding.” The definition of research excludes: Routine audit, performance reviews, quality assurance studies, testing within normal education requirements, polling on current public policy issues, and literary or artistic criticism. If you are unsure whether your project requires ethical review, please contact ethics-queries@contacts.bham.ac.uk.
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