Guidance on approval process

  • FAQs
  • Flow diagram (16kb) showing the process of formulation and approval by CUREC/IDREC of research involving human participants.
  • Glossary of terms used on this website and in CUREC documentation.

Summary of process

Before beginning any project which involves human participants, that is people participating in a direct way by for example answering questions about themselves or their opinions, or performing tasks, or being observed, or which involve data about identified or identifiable people, you must complete stages 1 and 2 of the ethical approval process. Stage 3 (completion of the full CUREC/2 application) is only required for those projects which pose greater risks to participants. It is expected that only in a limited number of cases will it be necessary for researchers to complete stage 3.


Note: Some departments have established a departmental research ethics research committee (DREC) or designated an officer to review checklists and applications as a preliminary step before submission of documentation to the appropriate IDREC. DRECs must be satisfied to their own requirements, which cannot be less than those of CUREC, that a project meets the appropriate standards, before the project is sent to the relevant IDREC for approval, or (where applicable) approved under delegated powers. Please check with your department to confirm whether any such preliminary approval is necessary.

Stage 1 – drafting research project proposal

At the drafting stage, discuss ethical aspects of your research project proposal with your colleagues/supervisor and consult professional codes of practice and CUREC/IDREC approved guidelines as necessary.

For further information on why ethical approval is required and who should apply and when, please see sections A and B of the Frequently Asked Questions.

Stage 2 – complete a CUREC checklist

First fill in a checklist. This is the first stage of ethical approval and is designed to separate projects which do not need ethical approval (for example those which are audit, not research); those which need ethical approval from a body other than CUREC (normally an NHS committee); those which pose low risks to participants and which need no further scrutiny; and those which pose greater risks to participants and which must undergo further scrutiny.

If your checklist shows that your project needs to be reviewed  by OXTREC, stop work on the CUREC checklist and use the appropriate OXTREC form.

If your checklist shows that your project needs no further University scrutiny, send your checklist to the appropriate IDREC officer and wait for written confirmation that your research project can start.

If your checklist shows that your project needs further scrutiny, check to see if the problematic aspects of your project are fully covered by one of the IDREC/CUREC approved protocols. If it is, cite the protocol number, and submit the checklist to the appropriate IDREC officer for approval.

If your checklist showed that your project needs to be scrutinised by the NHS, start NRES ethical review procedures. Please send a copy of the NHS documentation approving your project to the relevant IDREC officer so that the University has full details of all approved research involving human participants.

For further information on completing the checklist, please see section C of the Frequently Asked Questions.

Stage 3 – complete CUREC/2 application form

If there is no protocol covering the problematic aspects of your research, consider whether there should be. If the ethically contentious aspect of your methodology is widely used in your discipline, then it is likely that other researchers will run into the same problem. Consider writing a protocol and submit it to IDREC. Once it is approved, it will be mounted on this website. Individual research proposals may cross refer to it and their principal researchers need not fill in a full application form.

If a protocol would be inappropriate or you do not have time to devise one, complete a full application form (CUREC/2) and submit it and your checklist to the appropriate IDREC. If the application is approved you may start your research: if not, you will need to change your research procedures to meet the committee's concerns and resubmit your proposal. Be aware that your study may be audited later for its compliance with research ethics procedures. An appeal procedure (35kb) is available for appealing a decision to withhold, suspend or withdraw approval of research.

For further information on protocols and completing the CUREC/2 application form, please see sections C, D and E of the Frequently Asked Questions.