Qualitative Research and The Supervision of Students' Projects.

B440_151010. 13 / 12 / 2010.

A RESOLUTION FOR THE AGM OF AREC (THE ASSOCIATION OF RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEES) ON 12 / 11 / 2010).

N.B.:

1. Although this was actually withdrawn, for lack of enough time to debate the same, the general principles in its text were

accepted, and a copy was sent to AREC's Universities Committee for further attention some days before the A.G.M.

2. The letter acknowledging receipt of the resolution commented that the subject matter "(had) long been on the minds of AREC

Council members, particularly those in the University sector, and (that it was) a subject that (the Councillors intended) to

pursue further.....(It had been) decided that, as part of (the) programme of Regional Workshops, a themed seminar on this

subject, aimed specifically at Chairs andAdministrators in the first instance, would be an appropriate use of AREC resources."

3. (AREC were "currently planing events for next year and .....[hoped] to include this in the events calendar very early in the

year, in order that agreements and Administrators (might) be put into action during the course of 2011."

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B440_151010.

A RESOLUTION FOR THE AGM OF AREC ON 12 / 11 / 2010.

This Meeting

[1] is seriously concerned at the continuing failure of many supervisors adequately to monitor and guide aspiring researchers in respect of projects involving the social sciences.

[2] urges H.M. Government, the Universities and the leadership of the National Health service:-

(A) to establish a system of mandatory training in qualitative research for supervisors before allowing them to take on students, Such training should include written work assessment and, if satisfactory, the issue of a certificate of competence;

(B) to foster the holding of courses on qualitative research for chairmen, members, co-ordinators and researchers, in order to ensure a satisfactory standard is reached in assessing research projects involving the social sciences (notably the assessment of people’s thought and behaviour patterns);

(C) to further the achievement of (B) by encouraging all R.E.C.b personnel and researchers to attend such training sessions and familiarize themselves with qualitative research issues, so as to minimize the time, energy and money currently and needlessly wasted in considering ill-prepared project proposals.

Proposer: Michael B. Buck.

Seconder: (to be notified).

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