Determining light touch review

Research involving human participants encompasses a wide range of activities. These vary considerably in the degree of risk they involve for participants and for researchers. Many studies address minimally sensitive topics, entail minimal intrusion or disruption and involve participants who would not be considered vulnerable in the context of the research. These might require 'light touch' ethics review.

How do I know if my application is suitable for the light touch review procedure?

Your application can NOT be reviewed by the light touch procedure if your study involves:

  1. Working with children (this is defined for UREC purposes as those research subjects below 16 years of age and therefore not in a legal position to give consent for a study in their own right), or other vulnerable groups (eg those suffering from a medical condition such as mental ill health). If you are unsure about this then please email the UREC administrator for informal advice before completing the application form.
  2. Working with any clinical experiment that involves collecting human samples of blood, tissue or DNA.
  3. Recruiting volunteers by block email, which is not permitted by the University for either students and/or staff (refer to the University’s block email policy).
  4. Undertaking research for a PhD project – A full E2U application form is always required by UREC.

Types of research activity that fall into the light touch category could include

  • A module evaluation that you are now using for research purposes and wish to publish.
  • Research where volunteers are asked only about their professional roles and/or job experience and which does not require their employer’s permission to interview them on business premises.
  • Research that involves the use of an anonymous, self-completion questionnaire, or the completion of a standard survey that has no ethical implications (eg a transport survey).
  • Research that replicates a previous study that was approved by UREC. The Chair of UREC may give permission for the original study design to be extended on receipt of a light touch form.

If you are still unsure about how to proceed, please contact, in the first instance your Faculty Research Ethics Officer, who will offer guidance and sign off the submission of either a light touch review or E2U form where appropriate.

Alternatively, the UREC administrator can give more general advice.

Only completed forms will be reviewed by the UREC committee. If the light touch paperwork is incomplete it will be returned to the member of staff.

How do I apply for review via the light touch method?

A cover sheet is available which should be completed and attached to the front of the light touch application form and returned to your Department/Faculty Research Ethics Officer (FREO). NB - It is for the Faculty Research Ethics Officer, not the researcher, to decide whether the proposal is appropriate for light touch review.

Once agreed with your FREO the application will be passed to the UREC Administrator to be reviewed by the Chair and two members of UREC (outside of the Department or Faculty due to carry out the research). The decision on a light touch review should take two weeks from the date the application was received by the UREC Administrator. Should there be any reason for this to be extended you will be notified.

Please note

Due to leave and other commitments UREC is not able to review applications for ethics approval during the month of August. Applications should be made in good time for review during July or will be held over for review in September. Exceptions will be made for consultancy projects where there is a very short funding timescale.

The Chair of UREC reserves the right to request that any member of staff complete a full ethics review, E2U form, if the research falls outside light-touch review guidelines.

April 2010
Updated September 2011