Researchers may select a research topic by:

• Completing a literature review to identify current / emerging themes, or attending a research conference.  
• Discussing shared interests with internal / external networks.
• Reviewing funder strategies and current funding calls.  The Research Funding Development Team can also offer advice on identifying funding opportunities.  
• The development of a Personal Research Plan (PRP) as part of the annual appraisal process. 

An introductory level module on Planning Your Research is also available via the University's Research Integrity e-learning programme. 

Please refer to the University's Research Ethics webpage for information and guidance. 

Other resources include:

• Introduction to Ethics Policy and Procedure - an online presentation that can be downloaded and used as a local training tool.  The central Research Policy, Intelligence and Ethics team also offer general advice on University policy and procedure.  Email: res.policy@ncl.ac.uk.  

• Online Ethics Toolkit - guidance on potentially high-risk activities which require full review by an Ethics Committee.  

• Faculty Postgraduate Researcher Development Programmes - each of the three Faculties provides a programme of workshops for PhD students, including introductory sessions on research integrity and ethics.  Workshops are available to book online via the NCL workshop booking website.  

• PhD Supervisor workshops - bite-sized sessions for PhD Supervisors include top tips on research integrity, ethics and governance and supporting PhD students to create data management plans.  Workshops are available to book online via Student Progress Services.  

• Faculty Research Ethics Committees - provide local guidance and support to applicants as part of the University's ethical review process.  

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences	email: HaSS.Ethics@ncl.ac.uk
Faculty of Medical Sciences	email: fmsethics@ncl.ac.uk
Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering	email: Sage.Ethics@ncl.ac.uk

 

Research activites at Newcastle University cover a wide range of different research disciplines and methodologies.  In addition to formal research methods training through our educational programmes, the University provides the following support:

• Formal mentoring programmes - available through the Organisational Development Unit.  

• Research Groups - provide local support for research skills development. 

• Comparative Biology Centre - provides expert advice to researchers working with animals, including research methods training for Personal Licence holders.  

• Methods Hub - provides access to information and resources on quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.  The Hub also runs activities and events to promote the discussion of best practice and engagement in interdisciplinary research.  

• Informed Consent procedures - training video produced by the Newcastle Joint Research Office outlining the principles of informed consent, which applies to qualitative research involving human participants.  

• Research Integrity e-learning programme - modules on Managing and Recording your Research and Data Selection, Analysis and Presentation.
  

• Professional guidelines - researchers should also refer to discipline specific guidelines produced by professional bodies and learned societies.  For information, a list of professional guidelines is provided on the University's Research Integrity webpage.  

• Statistical Skills - staff workshops include SPSS for Beginners and Practical Statistics.  Available to book via the University's Learning Management System.   

The University has produced the following the following tools and guidance to support good practice:

• Attribution of Authorship Guidelines

• Publication and Authorship Agreement - template form that can be adapted to create a formal record of what has been agreed by the research team.  

• Guidance on raising concerns over Authorship practices

• Advice on Good Academic Practice (including how to avoid plagiarism) is also available from the University Library. 

• An introductory level module on Scholarly Publication is also available as part of the University's Research Integrity e-learning programme.  

Under UK law, additional approvals are required to carry out certain types of research activities.  For more information please refer to the following links:

Animal research	Online Ethics Toolkit - internal guidance for researchers on working with animals. Animal Welfare Ethical Review Body (AWERB) - reviews all projects involving the use of animals. Email: AWERB@ncl.ac.uk.     Comparative Biology Centre - provides expert advice to researchers working with animals, plus accredited training for Personal Licence holders.
Clinical and Healthcare research	Online Ethics Toolkit - internal guidance for researchers on the external approvals required for studies involving NHS sites, patients, their tissue or their data.   Health Research Authority - external guidance.
Defence and Security research	Research involving human particiipants that is funded or sponsored by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) requires external ethical approval from the MoD Research Ethics Committee.
Export Control	Internal guidance - an Export Licence is required to share technology with a direct or indirect military application with overseas partners.
Human Tissue samples	Online Ethics Toolkit - internal guidance for reseachers on working with human tissue samples. An Introduction to Working with Human Tissue - e-learning module which provides a comprehensive overview of the Human Tissue Act.  To access the module please email: hta.elearning@ncl.ac.uk.
Non-human tissue samples	Nagoya Protocol - internal guidance on the rules that apply to obtaining plant and animal samples from outside the UK.
Personal data in research	Online Ethics Toolkit - internal guidance for researchers on working with personal and sensitive data.   Data Management Plans workshops - focused on different funder requirements.  Available to book via the University's Learning Management System (staff login required).  Workshops aimed at PhD students are also delivered as part of the three Faculty Postgraduate Researcher Development Programmes.   GDPR e-learning programme - all University staff should complete the mandatory e-learning programme on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).  Available to book via the University's Learning Management System (staff login required).

In addition to the Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes, bite-sized workshops for PhD Supervisors are available to book through Student Progress Services.  

Please refer to the University's EDI Toolkit for Researchers for more information on how to embed the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion in research.

For more information on the benefits of openness in research please refer to the University's Open Research Institutional Poisition Statement.  

The University Library also provides guidance and support.  

ReproducibiliTea Journal Club

University colleagues and research students are also invited to participate in an informal discussion about how we can improve transparency and openness in research - over tea (and other refreshments).  Each monthly meeting will focus on a different topic.  For more information and to register your interest, please see the ReproducibiliTea Journal Club Blog.  

Please refer to the University's Responsible Research Innovation online toolkit for information on how to anticipate and mitigate the potential negative impacts of science and innovation.

The Research Leads Programme is an internal development programme for new Principal Investigators (PIs)  and provides advice on leading and managing research teams.  Expressions of Interest should be registered with the Organisational Development Team.    

Additional training, tools and resources for managers are available via the University's Learning Management System (staff login required).

In addition to Health and Safety training, the University's Occupational Health and Safety Office provide expert support and guidance on researcher saftety.  Including:

• Overseas Travel Risk Assessment
• UK Fieldwork Risk Assessment Form
• Loneworker Generic Risk Assessment Form
• Health and Safety Handbooks - for laboratories and workshops
• COSHH Risk Assessment Guidance and Forms - working with hazardous chemicals
• Biological Safety and Biosecurity - management standards

Researchers can also access support through wellbeing services:

• Student Wellbeing Services
• Colleague Health and Wellbeing Hub  

Guidance and support is also available from the Prevent team for University colleagues and students undertaking security sensitive research online.  Researchers should:

• Familiarise themselves with the University's Prevent guidance.  Colleagues should also complete the mandatory e-learning module on the Prevent Duty available through the University's Learning Management System (staff login required).  The Home Office also provide external training online.
• Contact a member of the Prevent team or the IT Helpdesk to arrange access to a Univesity laptop which can be used for this purpose.  For security reasons, researchers should not use their personal or work laptops.  
• Contact the University's Research Data Service for advice on development a Research Data Management Plan.