Ethical and legal guidelines and codes

Here you can find a range of resources providing guidance in research conduct, organised under the following headings:

1. Professional, subject-specific, national and international codes and guidelines
2. University of Huddersfield policies and frameworks
3. Legal framework
4. Security-sensitive research

Professional subject-specific, national and international codes and guidelines

Please consult the code of practice most relevant to your disciplinary area before preparing an application to the School Research Ethics and Integrity Committee (SREIC) 

• Association of Internet Researchers (2012) Ethical Decision-making and Internet Research: Recommendations from AoIR Ethics Working Committee (Version 2)
• British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (2016) Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions (members only)
• British Psychological Society (2021) Code of Human Research Ethics
• British Psychological Society (2017) Ethics Guidelines for Internet-mediated Research
• British Psychological Society (2021) BPS Guidelines for Psychologists Working with Animals (2021)
• British Society of Criminology (2015) Statement of Ethics for Researchers
• British Sociological Association (2002) Statement of Ethical Practice
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Framework for Research Ethics
• Market Research Society (2014) Code of Conduct
• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (2014) (Guidance) Good clinical practice for clinical trials
• UK Data Service: (Managing data) Legal and ethical issues
• UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO) (2009) Code of Practice for Research
• Universities UK (2012) - The concordat to support research integrity
  
• The Social Research Association (SRA) - Guidance on lone working/research
• The Suzy Lamplugh Trust: website
• World Medical Association (WMA) Declaration of Helsinki (2013) - Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects
   

Those registered with the Health and Care Professions Council or Nursing and Midwifery Council should also refer to:

• Health and Care Professions Council (2012) Standards of conduct, performance and ethics
   
• Nursing and Midwifery Council (2015) The Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses and midwives

NB: Although the two Standards of Conduct above say little explicitly about research conduct, these are the standards which registrants must abide by in order to remain on the Register. Many of the general issues covered are relevant to research as well as practice, particularly where researchers also work as practitioners within the same setting.

University of Huddersfield policies and frameworks

• Concordat to support research integrity (including Code of Practice for Research, Research Ethics and Integrity Policy, Research Ethics and Integrity Framework and Research Misconduct)
• Data Protection (including Data Protection Policy)
• Data Retention (including Data Retention and Disposal Schedule and Records Management Policy)

Legal framework

There are a number of legal requirements which researchers must consider when conducting research that might lead to the disclosure of certain information. It is an offence not to inform the authorities if researchers become aware of any of the following:

1. Planned acts of treason;
2. Information relating to a body that has not been lawfully buried;
3. The preparation of terrorist offences.

Researchers should note that there may be different legal restrictions on research within the United Kingdom (England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland). Research carried out outside the United Kingdom should take local legal requirements into account, which may be very different from those in the UK, even in EEA countries. 

• GDPR. As part of your legal obligations to research participants, prior to embarking on any research study that involves the handling of personal (i.e. identifying) data, you are required to inform them of the following:
  • The University of Huddersfield is responsible for the secure management of the data i.e. the ‘data controller’.
  • The legal basis for the collection of the data is usually ‘a task in the public interest’.
  • The researcher or research team (including transcribers) is the recipient of the data i.e. ‘the data processor’.
  • The data subject should contact the University Solicitor (as the Data Protection Officer) if they wish to complain about the management of their data. If they are not satisfied, they may take their complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
  • You are also required to detail precisely how your data will be safely stored, and when it will be destroyed (i.e. as soon as it is no longer needed). You will also need to detail the additional safeguards you will put in place if the data will be transferred outside Europe.
    
    
• General Medical Council (GMC) (2015) Annex A: Legal and governance framework
• The Prevent Duty

Security-sensitive research

Applicants will have to declare if their research concerns terrorism or extremist topics, and follow the necessary procedures regarding the storage and transmission of research data.

Sensitive research includes research that is:

• Commissioned by or on behalf of the military or the intelligence services
• Commissioned under an EU security call
• Involves acquisition of security clearances
• Concerns terrorist or extreme groups

Please familiarise yourself with the UK guidance on security-sensitive research before commencing your research project.