Research Ethics in the School of Religion

Background

Trinity College Dublin requires that staff and students obtain research ethics approval before embarking on research that involves human subjects or other significant ethical considerations. Trinity’s Policy on Good Research Practice is a helpful document you should familiarise yourself with, and the document outlines our processes for ethical review and approval.

Trinity has three designated “Levels” of Research Ethics Approval: Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. Level 1 Applications are considered to be of “Low” risk and are considered by our School of Religion Ethics Committee. Level 2 and Level 3 Applications are applications considered to be of “moderate” to “high” risk, and are considered by the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee.

Applying for Research Ethics Release or Approval

1. To determine whether you need to apply for ethical approval for your research, fill out the School of Religion’s "Research Ethics Checklist" and follow its instructions on the application process.

2. If the application is deemed to be appropriate for the School of Religion's Research Ethics Committee, thoroughly fill out both the "Tick List" and "Research Ethics Application" form. Make sure to include copies of your informed consent sheets, interview questions, or other relevant documentation for your project.

3. Submit the application to the Chair of the School of Religion Research Ethics Committee, Prof. Cathriona Russell (russelc@tcd.ie). Make sure to submit your application in time for the next appropriate deadline.

4. For sample versions of an Informed Consent form and Information Sheet for Participants, follow the link below to the Faculty of AHSS research ethics page.