Information for Research Participants

The Research Ethics Board (REB) at Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning (CCITAL) evaluates the ethical acceptability of all College research projects that involve human participants. The College’s Policy on Ethical Conduct in Research Involving Human Participants (pdf) applies to all funded and unfunded College research projects and to research conducted by private organizations who use College facilities or equipment under an agreement with the College.

The REB strives to ensure that human research is conducted in an ethical manner that both respects human dignity and requires that the welfare and integrity of the individual remain paramount. Research projects are evaluated within a framework of guiding principles set out in the policy statement of the three federal granting councils (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC) known as the Tri-council Policy Statement (2010) (pdf).

Individuals who are being recruited for or are involved in any research project that has been reviewed by the CCITAL REB are invited to contact the Chair of the REB with any concerns or questions about the ethical aspects of that research.

As a research participant or potential participant:

• You have the right to be fully informed before you consent to participate in the research. All information that you are given should be clear and understandable. You should have an opportunity to ask questions and have them answered to your satisfaction.
• You have the right to participate in research voluntarily. You should feel comfortable in saying NO to research in which you do not want to participate and should not fear any academic or other repercussions.
• You have the right to not feel coerced or pressured into participating in research.
• You own your own data. You have the right to agree to (or refuse to) allow your data to be used for purposes other than those for which the data was originally collected.
• You have the right to know who the principal study investigator is and to have contact information for local (i.e. CCITAL) personnel if you have questions.
• You have the right to know how to access final study results and when these will be available.
• You have the right to know how your data will be secured and to be told if this data will be kept anonymous and confidential.
• You have the right to notify the REB and principal investigator if there are any unanticipated occurrences associated with the research.
• When alternatives to participating in research are provided, those alternatives should be roughly equivalent in time and effort to participating in the research.

If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant or about the ethics of a study in which you are considering or are currently participating, please contact us.