Having trouble with a specific question on the application?
Find tips in our Guidance for the MREB Standard Application
To book a consultation with an Ethics Advisor, email mreb@mcmaster.ca.
Consent Samples
Assent template for people who lack capacity to consent for themselves.
Updated: March 2022.
Letter of Information and Consent template.
Updated: March 2024.
Script for seeking oral consent via phone/online/in-person.
Updated: November 2021.
Oral consent log to record verbal consent via online/phone/in-person.
Sample consent preamble and post study consent questions for online studies.
Updated: February 2023.
A debrief and re-assent for when using deception/partial disclosure with children.
Updated: September 2023
Debrief and reconsent template for studies using partial disclosure and deception
Link to Financial Affairs revised interim guidelines for how research participants are paid at McMaster.
In effect as of January 27, 2025.
Document to help researchers evaluate tools for electronically documenting consent.
Released June 3, 2025
Recruitment Script Samples
Brochure recruiting sample from ethnographic research.
Email template when a gatekeeper has the contact info.
Email template to send directly to participants.
Template for recruitment in class or in person.
Poster sample with tear away tabs.
Template for a social media recruitment post.
Updated: November 2019.
A template to create your SONA educational debrief.
Updated March 2023
An example of a very well-done educational debrief for a PNB Sona study
Template for snowball recruitment.
Template for a telephone recruitment script.
Template for asking organizations to help you with recruitment
Updated: May 2023
A template to be used when you want to screen potential participants for eligibility before having them complete the consent process.
Updated October 2023
Guidance document to help researchers minimize bot responses to online surveys.
Data Collection and Research Methods
To be used if you want to collect contact information (say, to provide study results) separate from the main data
A guide from MREB for asking demographic questions.
Updated: September 20, 2022.
Ethnographic research methodology sample wording for applications.
Updated: March 2018.
A guide for researchers conducting online surveys or experiments/tasks.
Updated: October 2020.
Sample focus group interview guide.
Individual interview guide for one-to-one interviews.
Updated: March 2025.
RHPCS-hosted hub containing resources & McMaster specific templates/themes for use with LimeSurvey.
Updated: March 2021.
A playlist covering some of the basics of the central Limsurvey instance at McMaster University created by Nick Marquis.
Does Research Using Social Media Platforms Require Research Ethics Board Review? Panel on Research Ethics Guidance in Applying TCPS 2 (2022)
Linked June 6, 2023
A guide if the only research data comes from data collected for another purpose
Update March 2024
A guide to converting documents into plain language.
Updated: August 2018.
This resource orients McMaster researchers to digital research support services and offers guidance on some common research functions.
Linked December 13, 2024
Guidance document to help researchers evaluate online survey tools and better understand whether it is appropriate for their research data.
Guidance document to help researchers understand the ethical issues of conducting pedagogical research (scholarship in teaching and learning) and to highlight important sections of the ethics application.
Released April 23, 2026
Application Completion
A video introduction for what we hope to see in an MREB application and how to avoid common mistakes
Updated December 2024
Having trouble with a certain question? Find tips here.
Updated March 2024
Confidentiality and Data Security Samples
Using Video-Conferencing Platforms for Collecting Data from Human Participants
Updated: June 18, 2021.
If sharing or receiving data requires an agreement, contact MILO for assistance with developing an agreement or reviewing an agreement provided by the data holder.
Updated: December 10, 2025.
Oath of Confidentiality for translators, transcribers, and other non-research team members.
Updated: March 1, 2018.
MREB data storage and security tools.
Updated: September 2022.
Guidance document to help researchers evaluate online transcription services and better understand whether it is appropriate for their research data.
Updated Oct 2025
Guidance document to help researchers evaluate evaluate data privacy, security and compliance.
Research Involving Canadian First Nations, Inuit and Metis Peoples
The purpose of the Indigenous Research Primer is to guide those at McMaster University who are engaging with Indigenous Peoples and communities in their research. The Primer seeks to inform Indigenous and non-Indigenous, early and experienced researchers at any stage of their career and/or education.
Uploaded: December 6, 2023
The policy document includes important information for those interested in conducting research in and with Six Nations of the Grand River. It also includes instructions for applicants.
Note: Research approval from SNGR is also required for QA/QI/evaluation type projects and for projects that do not involve human data (e.g., projects only collecting environmental data).
Updated: January 2025
For guidance on creating a collaborative research agreement with Indigenous community partners, please contact the research contracts team at MILO.
Updated November 24, 2025
Managing Risks
Guide for creating a counselling resources sheet for participants – to be adapted for the participant population and location.
Updated: January 13, 2025
Using video-conferencing (human participants) to collect data.
Updated: December 9, 2025.
FAQs about University requirements and research ethics due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Updated May 31, 2023