Human Research Participation and Ethics
For Departmental Researchers
Researchers who wish to access SONA must read the Guidelines [PDF-37kB] describing the procedures required for research review and subject pool access, before any request is made to the Ethics Committee.
Requirements stipulate that any faculty and graduate dissertation research involving human participants be reviewed by the university Office of Research Services (ORS). If a project involves more than minimal risk, please review Chapter 1, Section B of the TCPS 2--2nd edition of Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans.
Information and forms for University Research Review, required for all faculty, graduate, and undergraduate thesis related research, are available through Dalhousie University Office of Research Services.
Initial SONA Application
Submit application as SINGLE PDF document, in the following order, to psych.ethics@dal.ca
2023 SONA Application
2024 SONA Consent Sig Page (with Participant/Observer option OR Departmental Signature Page)
2023 SONA Debriefing (Research Subject Debriefing)
REB Approval (current annual approval, i.e., not an amendment approval)
Continuing SONA Projects
Continuing projects must be renewed by the anniversary date. Only approved project codes are eligible to access the subject pool and will be listed on the web for participant sign up. Please provide a PDF or email of the relevant REB annual renewal letter to Psych.Ethics@dal.ca.
All correspondence on an approved study MUST have the REB and/or SONA/departmental reference code in the subject line and on all forms.
Changes and Renewals
MINOR changes to a study may be sent in an email to Psych.Ethics@dal.ca; more extensive amendments should be submitted on the Sona Application form (above) via email to Psych.Ethics@dal.ca. Remember, making any changes to your study on SONA automatically deactivates it until reapproved. Always provide the REB and/or departmental SONA reference code.
Any Submissions must be sent to Psych.Ethics@dal.ca. In lieu of a signature, the submission MUST be emailed from the supervisor’s email.