SRC research ethics

SRC research raises a wide range of ethical considerations. SRC has a set of principles to guide in research ethics and a system to provide ethical review and feedback on planned research. The SRC Research Ethics Committee meets approximately 4 times per year, keeps an overview of research ethics at SRC, liaises with SU and supports good research ethics practise.
We have a system in place for researchers and students to have their research ethically reviewed and commented on in house. All research (and all PhD and masters projects) should be reviewed through this system.

Everything you need is in this link:  SRC research ethics principles, procedures for review, useful links and info and the ethical review form are all available here

Submissions must complete the following procedure:

1. Email src-ethics-review@su.se minimum 2-weeks before you plan to submit(the email goes to SRC Research Ethics Committee chair and administrator).

2.  A Research Ethics Committee representative responds with an estimate date of return or completion of the form and assigned reviewer (a member of the committee whom is available and has relevant subject knowledge). All committee members bar the PhD representative will carry out reviews

3.  Read and complete the SRC Research Ethics Review Form carefully. Please combine this form and all appendices into a single document and name the document "YYYY-MM_Surname of researcher_Project name.doc”, e.g. "2020-08_Folke_Resilience in the Anthropocene".

4.  Email the final form to src-ethics-review@su.se with all the relevant documents by 10 am on an odd Monday (i.e. a Monday of the month with an odd number date/week number that is odd). The appointed Research Ethics Committee member for your review will aim to return the form by the next odd Monday 2 pm at the latest. If they are not able to the Research Ethics Committee will communicate an appropriate date.

5.  Once you receive the response from the reviewer, make the necessary changes and updates to the documents and send all final versions to the appointed reviewer and the email address: src-ethics-review@su.se.

6.  If research plans change substantially (from this submitted review) so that new ethical issues are relevant (i.e. if any new ethically problematic issues come up that were not covered by the initial form), contact the committee and reviewer as soon as possible with a plan to re-submit the original form with or “track changes” explaining the changes, new ethical issues and additional procedures (attaching any relevant appendices into the same document).

7.  After the fieldwork, research project or during the thesis submission send a statement to src-ethics-review@su.se with a brief reflection on any ethical dilemmas that emerged during fieldwork, whether planned procedures successfully addressed issues, and any changes made during the course of research. This file should have the same name as your original report with the same name and date as the original file plus “-Final report”. E.g. "2020-08_Folke_Resilience in the Anthropocene-Final report".

It is also important to check whether your research is required by law to be submitted to the inter-university Swedish Ethical Review Authority (Etikprövningsmyndigheten). See further information on the link above (section 0 of the ethics form).

If in doubt as to whether your research requires vetting or not, please seek additional advice from the supervisory committee (src-ethics@su.se) and or the research support unit at SU. Jonas Åkerman is our main contact regarding ethics at Stockholm University’s Research Support office. He can also link us to relevant other support on data management, legal questions etc. His email is jonas.akerman@su.se and information on research ethics can be found here: https://medarbetare.su.se/en/research/research-integrity-ethics-and-legal-aspects

Note that supervisors of both MSc and PhD students are legally responsible for the research ethics and ethical vetting of their students’ work.