Key points at a glance
- Ask the responsible office whether review is required.
- Explain participant risk, consent and data handling in detail.
- Wait for any required approval before starting the study.
Determine the local review route
A literature-only project may need no formal review, while interviews, experiments or work with minors may. Your own institution decides the process and exemptions. Do not rely on a friend’s experience in another programme.
Show what participants will experience
Describe recruitment, questions, foreseeable burdens, consent, withdrawal and any compensation. Map where recordings and identifiers will be stored, who can access them and when they are deleted. A vague promise that data are “secure” is less useful than a concrete process.
Leave room for amendments
Discuss the application with your supervisor and data protection contact early. A reviewer may ask for a clearer information sheet or a different recruitment approach. Build that time into your thesis schedule.
Follow the approved protocol
If the population, instrument or storage location changes materially, ask whether an amendment is needed. Retain approved versions and decisions. Ethics approval does not replace consent or compliance with data and examination rules.
Final submission context
Formal details can feel like a separate writing task, but they matter just as much for a printed submission. Anything missing, misplaced or inconsistently formatted in the document will also appear in the bound copy.
Use this guide together with your cover page, table of contents, page numbers, source notes and appendices. Prepare the final PDF for printing and binding only after the complete file has been checked.
Practical check before PDF export
- Do headings, chapter structure and page numbers match?
- Are sources, figures and tables included completely?
- Are required elements such as declarations, appendices or the cover page included where required?
- Did you open and check the final PDF after exporting it?
Checklist
- Local review requirement established.
- Consent and information materials drafted.
- Risks and data flow specified.
- Required approval recorded before collection.
Common mistakes
- Applying only after interviewing people.
- Describing data protection in slogans.
- Changing the approved procedure without checking.
Prepare the finished thesis for submission
Once the content and university requirements are checked, review your PDF and the available printing and binding options.
Review printing optionsRelated content
Explore related guidance on thesis structure, sources, formatting and final submission.
Frequently asked questions
Does every thesis need ethics approval?
No; the answer depends on the project and local rules.
Can I recruit while the application is pending?
Ask the responsible office before starting any activity covered by review.
Is approval the same as participant consent?
No. They serve different purposes.