Research Safegaurds
Data Management
- Keep good records of research activities, such as data collection, research design, and communication between project participants.
- Optimize the potential for data sharing by utilizing strong metadata and persistent identifiers.
Further Learning: Data Management Planning in the College Context
If you would like to do a deeper dive into this topic, there is a module called Data Management Planning in the College Context in Fanshawelearns.
This and other resources can be found in the CRI Research Playlist.
Protection of Project Participants
- Treat all potential participants with respect from the time you request their possible participation (even if they decline to be involved) to the end of the project and beyond.
- Inform participants of the intended outcomes of the project, potential risks, and their ability to withdraw at any time.
- Seek permission to share research findings and deposit datasets which are anonymous and/or de-identified.
- Research Ethics Board (REB) approval may be a condition of funding.
Resource: Informed Consent Guidelines
Confidentiality
- Ensure that confidential and/or sensitive information is safeguarded.
- Put in place protection measures to ensure the privacy of research participants.
- Do not share any proprietary information that has the potential to be commercialized.
- It is common for partner-based research contracts to include Non-Disclosure Agreements
Resource: Sample Non-Disclosure Agreement
Further Learning: Tri-Council Course on Ethics
The Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans is a free online course which provides guidance that applies to all research involving human participants, including their data and/or biological materials. Completion of the TCPS 2 CORE may be a condition of funding. TCPS 2 CORE consists of nine modules and a knowledge consolidation exercise:
- Module A1 – Introduction
- Module A2 – Scope of TCPS 2
- Module A3 – Risks and Benefits
- Module A4 – Consent
- Module A5 – Fairness and Equity
- Module A6 – Privacy and Confidentiality
- Module A7 – Conflicts of Interest
- Module A8 – Research Ethics Board Review
- Module A9 – Research Involving Indigenous Peoples
- Knowledge Consolidation Exercise
A Non Disclosure Agreement is a contract that creates a confidential relationship between two parties and details sensitive information that may not be shared outside of this relationship.
