Frequently Asked Questions

I have already submitted a paper-based application, what will happen to my application?

If you have already submitted a research ethics application to your faculty ethics officer before the REAMS system has been launched for your faculty it will be processed as normal. Please contact your REO if you have any queries about your application. For FASS and LUMS queries please contact Debbie Knight: fass.lumsethics@lancaster.ac.uk For FHM or FST queries please contact Annie Beauchamp: fst-ethics@lancaster.ac.uk, fhmresearchsupport@lancaster.ac.uk

Where can I find further support and guidance?

If you have an ethics-related question please contact your Faculty Ethics Officer: For FHM and FST related queries please contact Tom Morley For FASS and LUMS related queries please contact Debbie Knight For questions related to the REAMS system please email reams-support@lancaster.ac.uk.

I would like to submit an amendment request for an application that was approved prior to the launch of REAMS

For instructions on how to submit an amendment for an application that was approved prior to the launch of REAMS please see the Amendment Guidance for Research Ethics Application Management System (REAMS).

Is it possible to transfer an ethics application in REAMS to other members of my research team?

Yes it is possible to transfer an ethics application to a colleague from yourself who will then become the owner of the application. Please see section 3.3 in the document.

Will my application still be submitted to my Faculty Research Ethics Committee?

Applications submitted through REAMS will continue to be submitted to the relevant Faculty Research Ethics Committee (FREC). Details of the internal processes can be found in the "Procedures for Research Ethics Approval" and on the faculty ethics web pages.

I have ethics approval from an external research ethics committee

Projects reviewed and approved by another organisation’s research ethics committee require Faculty Research Ethics Committee review before research can commence at Lancaster. For example, if a co-investigator at another university obtains ethical approval for a project that covers a Lancaster researcher on their research team, the Lancaster researcher must also submit an ethics application to their Faculty Research Ethics Committee through REAMS. To do this answer 'Yes' to the question "Have you got external ethical approval from another organisation?" and answer the subsequent questions. REAMS will also ask you to upload: 1) The approved ethics approval form from the external ethics committee 2) All supporting documents e.g. participant information sheet and consent form 3) A copy of the approval letter

How will I know that my ethics application has been approved?

Your research ethics application will not be approved until you have received explicit confirmation from your Faculty Research Ethics Committee. The REAMS system will email you to notify you when your application has been approved. You will also receive a notification in the system itself under the notifications tile in your work area. If you are unsure if your application has been approved please get in touch with your REO. NEVER begin your research until you have received confirmation that your ethics application has been approved.

I am having trouble entering my own contact details into my REAMS application

If you are having trouble inputting your contact details into your REAMS form it is likely you will have to update your personal details. To view and update your personal details click on the down arrow next to your name on the black tab at the top of the page and select ‘Personal details’. Then view and update your information on your personal details page.

I don't know if i am the named Principle Investigator at Lancaster University.

If you are a student and the project is for your PhD, you will normally be the Principal Investigator. If you are a member of staff and your ethics application is for your research project, you should enter your name as the Principal Investigator in REAMS. If you are a member of staff who is a Research Associate and you are completing the ethics application on behalf of another member of academic staff at Lancaster University, they should be named as the Principal Investigator in REAMS. If you are a member of staff who is a co-Investigator on a project which is being led by another University, you will need to be named as the ‘Principal Investigator at Lancaster University’ here in REAMS.

How do I upload my documents?

Click on the upload documents button. 1.The document upload window will appear (see below). You will need to complete two fields with the document’s version date and the version number eg if it is the first version of the document it is likely to be version 1; if you have been asked by the ethics committee reviewer to make changes to the uploaded document the next version you upload is likely to be version 2, etc. 2. Then click on the ‘Browse’ button to find your document, when you have selected the document, click on ‘open’. 3. Then click on the ‘Upload button’ in the document upload window. 4. Your document will be uploaded in REAMS. 5. If you change your mind and want to delete the document you can click on the ‘Delete’ button adjacent to the document in REAMS.

I need to make a change after requesting a signature request from my supervisor. How do I unlock my form after requesting a signature from my supervisor?

While on your application in REAMS, you can press the unlock button in the Actions Box. This can only be done if your supervisor has not signed the application. You are able to unlock it until all supervisors have signed the application. Once all supervisors have signed the application, it will go to the Committee for review. To make changes at this point, you will need to either ask the Research Ethics Officer to return it or wait for the reviewer to return it with their comments.

I cannot find my supervisor/team member in the search bar

The quickest way to find your supervisor on REAMS is to ask your them to log on to REAMS with their Lancaster University email address and password to activate their account. Once they have done this the details will be available via search. This will only work for those with a @lancaster.ac.uk email. For external team members, you must add them manually under the "Contacts" tab at the top of each REAMS page. Doing this allows you to automatically add their details into the application when needed. If they are still not showing on REAMS after this or you are having issues manually adding members, please email RSO Systems at rso-systems@lancaster.ac.uk

I keep getting error messages on REAMS- Help!

There are a few things you can do to debug any errors before having to contact your Research Ethics Officer or rso-systems@lancaster.ac.uk for further support. Firstly, please refresh your internet browser page, as you may have timed out of the application. You will not lose your saved work. You can also try opening the application on a different device for the same effect. Please ensure that you are using Google Chrome. This is the most suitable browser for the website and will ensure smooth running. If the problem still remains after doing the above steps, please contact your Research Ethics Officer or rso-systems@lancaster.ac.uk for further support.

FASS LUMS Support

fass.lumsethics@lancaster.ac.uk

FST Support

fst-ethics@lancaster.ac.uk

FHM Support

fhmresearchsupport@lancaster.ac.uk

System Support

rso-systems@lancaster.ac.uk