In-Class Projects

In-class project activities are intended solely for pedagogical purposes and are normally required of students. The objective is to provide students with exposure to research methods in their field of study. In-class research projects may not fit the standard definition of research in that the results are not intended for publication or generalization to other situations, however the potential for risks to participants requires that the protocols and consent processes of in-class research be reviewed by the AC REB.

As part of their teaching strategies related to research, many instructors assign class projects and activities in which students must collect data from human participants. These projects may be carried out by individual students, small groups, or as a single class project. In-class research assignments vary in scope, but may include:

• students conducting interviews, administering standard tests, or distributing questionnaires outside the class to hone their interviewing or questionnaire-design skills,
• students conducting “mini” research projects where they pose research questions, gather data from human participants, and analyze the data for class presentations or reports,
• other activities considered research within the discipline in which the course is taught.

Rather than require students to complete and submit applications for ethical approval of each of their projects, professors may be able to complete the Faculty Application Form for Ethical Review of In-Class Projects for all of the research assignments planned for the course, while students provide the professor with their completed Student Application Form for Ethical Review of In-Class Projects. Projects can then be approved by the individual professors provided that the REB has already approved the faculty application.

Faculty are urged to submit their applications at the start of the previous term (ex: May-June for Fall courses, September-October for Winter courses) to ensure adequate time for projects to be approved. Faculty will set their own deadlines for students to submit their applications based on the course requirements.

For more information, please refer to the Guidelines for Ethical Review of In-Class Projects.

Faculty application – Faculty Application Form for Ethical Review of In-Class Projects.

Student application – Student Application Form for Ethical Review of In-Class Projects.