Centria Guide for Thesis and Academic Writing

Principles for research in the human sciences are provided in the guide from the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity The ethical principles of research with human participants and ethical review in the human sciences in Finland. The guide has been updated in 2019 and research on human participants is here covered comprehensively, including different branches of science like Humanities, Social Sciences, Technology, Arts, and in parts also non-invasive health or medical research. If needed, the human sciences ethics committee can do a preliminary assessment of the thesis research. Medical research includes also research in health care and nursing, regarding which, preliminary assessments can be discussed with the principal lecturer.

Topics that require ethical review in the human sciences are avoided in Centria's theses

Joint Ethics Committee of Human Sciences of Centria, KAMK and Oamk
 

Ethical review in research with human participants

• The committee conducts ethical reviews of research designs for which ethical review is not regulated separately in the Medical Research Act (488/1999). Besides humanities and social sciences, these research designs include research with human participants in the natural sciences and technology, in artistic research, and in some cases also in non-invasive health or medical research. 
• The committee conducts ethical reviews of research related to research, development and innovation activities as well as post-bachelor’s degree research at Centria, KAMK and Oamk.
• A request for an ethical review statement can be submitted by a member of staff at Centria, KAMK and Oamk. In the case of research conducted by the higher education institution’s staff, an ethical review is requested from the higher education institution for which the research is being carried out.
• For master’s degree theses, an ethical review request for the research is jointly submitted by the student and the thesis supervisor. 
• The committee does not issue statements on research that has already been completed. 
• The committee’s statement is free of charge. 
• If the study is a medical study as defined by law (Medical Research Act 488/1999), the review is conducted by the local Medical Ethics Committee of the wellbeing services county of North Ostrobothnia.
• A statement from the ethics committee is not a research permit. A permit to conduct research is always issued by the organisation in which the research will be conducted. In addition, the individual research participants must give their consent to be involved in the research. 
• An ethical review does not shift the researcher’s responsibility of their research and its moral solutions to the ethics committee.
• In addition to the ethical review of research, the committee’s purpose is to promote training in research ethics, contribute towards maintaining and enhancing the quality of research and serve as an expert body on research ethics in its member organisations.

What does the ethics committee assess?

The researcher must request an ethical review statement from a human sciences ethics committee before data collection if the research contains one or more of the following factors: 

1. Participation in the research deviates from the principle of informed consent.
2. The research involves intervening in the physical integrity of research participants.
3. The focus of the research is on minors under the age of 15, without separate consent from a parent or carer or without informing a parent or carer in a way that would enable them to prevent the child’s participation in the research.
4. The research exposes participants to exceptionally strong stimuli.
5. The research involves a risk of causing mental harm that exceeds the limits of normal daily life to the research participants or their family members or others closest to them.
6. Conducting the research could involve a threat to the safety of participants or researchers or their family members or others closest to them.

If none of the above factors is met, ethical review is not required.

In Finland, neither legislation nor TENK’s guidelines require ethical review by an ethics committee for research based purely on public and published data, registry and documentary data or archive data.

The funder or publisher of the research or the organisation granting the research permit etc. may require an ethical review in a situation where it is not required in the Finnish system. In this case, the ethics committee may provide the requester with a description of the Finnish system rather than a statement (Advice and materials | Finnish National Board on Research Integrity (tenk.fi)).

Guidelines for applying for an ethical review statement

Joint Ethics Committee of Human Sciences of Centria, KAMK and Oamk

More information

The ethical principles of research with human participants and ethical review in the human sciences in Finland. Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK guidelines 2019. 

Research ethics support person Hanna-Riina Aho

The Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (ARENE) has prepared ethical recommendations for writing a thesis. These recommendations cover research ethical issues when writing a thesis and contains advice both for the students and the supervisors on areas of responsibility and obligations. Presentation material has been draw up based on the recommendations and it can be used freely in self-studies or teaching. These recommendations by Arene include also excellent check lists for students and supervisors. The recommendations have been updated in 2020.