Research ethics

The REB provides Certificates of Ethical Acceptability valid for the period of one year, approves modifications to research protocols, informed consent forms and relating supporting documents, and officially closes research projects upon their completion.

Please know that all research involving human participants must be approved by the REB prior to data collection. The Yukon University also requires all researchers to complete the TCPS-2 tutorial, found below under training.

If you are planning to work with Indigenous Communities you should be familiar with the First Nations Principals of OCAP® (Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession). OCAP® is a set of principles aimed at protecting Indigenous ownership, Indigenous jurisdiction, and Indigenous information. Researchers working and engaging with communities that have adopted their own ethical codes (such as OCAP®) are required to familiarize themselves with such codes. Details on The First Nations Principles of OCAP® can be found at here.

Human Research Ethics Process Guide 

New to human research and/or ethics? Start with the TCPS 2 CORE Tutorial.  All study team members – including faculty, students and other research staff need to complete the TCPS2 online tutorial “Course on Research Ethics” (CORE).  A certificate of completion is required for each team member before research ethics approval will be granted.

Below are the steps to follow to take this training:

1. Click on the link to access the registration portal
2. Click on the “LOGIN TO CORE/CREATE ACCOUNT” icon on the right side of the page.
3. Click on “Create new account here”
4. Fill out the boxes with your information. Be sure to include affiliation as Yukon University, your Yukon University e-mail address and for students include your student number. This is very important as Yukon University is able to verify your completion of the tutorial and can assist you should you have problems logging in at any time.
5. Once you’ve clicked “register,” an e-mail will be sent to your University email address. (if you haven’t received this be sure to check your spam or junk mail folder). If you don’t receive this email to activate your account contact the Research Ethics Coordinator at vwalker@yukonu.ca
6. Click on the link provided in the e-mail to activate your account.
7. Once your account has been activated, login to the CORE homepage with your University e-mail and the password you provided in the setup of your TCPS2 tutorial account  
8. Begin the CORE modules by clicking “start” under the “options” heading

You can do these modules at your own pace. It takes approximately 3-5 hours to complete and you can stop and resume the training at any time.

You can also find the full Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2) here.

Does your research involve the Yukon First Nations?

Be sure to read  Module 9: Research Involving First Nations, Inuit & Metis Peoples of Canada of the TCPS 2 CORE Tutorial. It is separate from the main tutorial, but highly recommended.

Yukon First Nations Core Competency – It is also recommended that researchers complete the Yukon First Nations 101 Course. This can be completed online by registering here.  

• First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) provides training through their online course “The Fundamentals of OCAP® and also have additional information on the First Nations principles of OCAP® here .
• Understanding the First Nations Principles of OCAP®
• Ownership, Control, Access and Possession (OCAP®): The Path to First Nations Information Governance
• Barriers and Levers for the Implementation of OCAP®

The Principal Investigator (PI)

As the individual responsible for the implementation of research, the PI bears direct responsibility for ensuring the safety of the research participant. The responsibility starts with project design, which must balance risks with potential research benefits. The PI must ensure that all members of the research team comply with the requirements of the TCPS-2. The PI will be held accountable for any ethical non-compliance of themselves or their team.

Co-Investigator/Team member

Co-investigators and other members of the research team are responsible for ensuring their own completion of the TCPS-2 tutorial (a responsibility shared with the PI), holding themselves to a high ethical standard, and ensuring that their actions in conducting research are compliant and consistent with Yukon University policy. It is the team member's or co-investigator's responsibility to question when unsure. Being unaware of certain guidelines or requirements is not accepted as reason for unethical behaviour. Co-investigators from other institutions are required to ensure ethical compliance at their home institution as well as Yukon University.

The Yukon University Research Ethics Board (REB)

The REB will review and monitor all research involving human research participants conducted under the auspices of the University. The REB is an autonomous entity whose primary responsibility is ensuring the safety and well-being of all research participants involved in research programs carried out by Yukon University researchers, students and adjuncts or those that involve Yukon University in their research.

Questions? Contact us at ethics@yukonu.ca.

Shannon Baskerville
Community Representative
Psychology
sbaskerville@yukonu.ca

Do I require ethics approval?

Any research involving human participants being conducted at Yukon University, or by Yukon University staff, faculty, or students, or using Yukon University resources, requires Yukon University REB approval before beginning your project. This includes course-based research, use of secondary data, or the use of human biological tissues.  See "Understanding Research Ethics Review Requirements"

Does your research involve non-human animals? You will require animal care approval. Information on these requirements can be found here. Please contact vwalker@yukonu.ca for more information.

Can I begin my project in advance of ethics approval?

You may begin some aspects of your project but you cannot begin data collection. The REB will try to accommodate expedited request for review, however this is not always possible so please plan accordingly. Failure to obtain approval in advance of data collection may be grounds for academic misconduct.

I am a visiting researcher, do I need ethics approval from the Yukon University? My home institution has already granted me approval.

Yes, you still require ethics approval from the Yukon University REB. You will also need a license to conduct research in the Yukon, which can be found here. Please attach your home institution's ethics approval to your Yukon University application.

What do I do if I am involved in a research project that involves multiple institutions?

Research often involves multiple institutions that have their own ethical review processes. Research involving Yukon University personnel and is associated with other universities are subject to the jurisdiction of multiple ethical review processes. In such instances, researchers are required to obtain the approval of all such institutions.

Is your question not here? Contact us at ethics@yukonu.ca.