Training Manual for Researchers How to Create an Online Human Ethics Application What is in this document This manual is intended to provide general tips on using functionality specific to QUEST online ethics application forms. If you are having trouble with any aspects of the content below, including logging in and accessing forms, please contact the QUEST team at Quest.Admin@vu.edu.au. Overview Log in to QUEST Access Ethics Applications Create Application from List of Templates Navigating eforms o Access help and tips o Move through sections o Move through pages o Save application as you go o Page indicators o Using the Search Function o Add and Edit Investigators o Add and Edit Attachments Finalise and Submit Application Print or Save a Copy of Your Application Review Process o Comments indicators (flags) o Responding to comments Log in to QUEST Go to http://vurmsweb1/rmenet/ in any browser. Use your regular network login (Staff or Student ID and password) to login to QUEST. Training Manual for Researchers How to Create an Online Human Ethics Application Page 1 of 10
Access Ethics Applications Hover over the Ethics menu and select Applications. Create Application from List of Templates Click on to access the list of all online ethics forms. Note that all application forms for ethical approval of Human, Animal and Institutional Biosafety research will be available here. Please be careful in selecting the correct application form. Click on the title to enter the application form. Training Manual for Researchers How to Create an Online Human Ethics Application Page 2 of 10
Navigating eforms Tool Set (top right of screen): Previous page Next page Save Application comments Reports (Print) Page comments Help Exit Access help and tips Some questions contain detailed instructions, be sure to read these carefully. Further guidance and instructions are located throughout the form and can be accessed by clicking the help icon. Help is provided throughout the form at the page level (in the top right Tool Set) and also against individual questions. Training Manual for Researchers How to Create an Online Human Ethics Application Page 3 of 10
Move through sections The left-hand column contains the form navigation functions. Use the expand or links to view or hide the entire form menu. You can also use the collapse icons to toggle one section at a time. Move through pages Use the in the form. green arrows at the top or the bottom of the screen to move through neighbouring pages You can also select any page at any time from the form navigation menu by clicking on the page title. Save as you go You can save your application at any time using the floppy disk icon. Each page will save automatically as you click Next or Back or enter a new page from the form menu. QUEST has a timed automatic logout feature. Remember to save regularly to avoid losing any answers. If you don t want to continue immediately you can save your application and log out of QUEST. You will find a list of your saved applications under Ethics > Applications. Page indicators The icons next to the page titles in the form navigation menu indicate whether a page has missing or incomplete fields. Mandatory questions display a red asterisk (*). You may leave questions unanswered while working through the form, but all questions must be complete before submission. = Page is complete = Error or unanswered/incomplete questions = Page is not yet accessed Training Manual for Researchers How to Create an Online Human Ethics Application Page 4 of 10
Using the Search Function Some questions may require use of codes or records already in the VU database. To access these records click the magnifying glass. You may be required to enter a search term in order to bring up a concise list it is best to be brief. For example, in Question 1.3. Primary School for Application, to return School of Sport and Exercise Science, enter sport as your search term. Then select the correct option by clicking the code from the pop-up list. Add and Edit Investigators You are required to record the details of all investigators and students associated with your project in Question 2.1. and 2.2.b. respectively. To begin your search, enter a term into the Search Name/ID field and click the magnifying glass. Be brief as the system will only search for an exact match. For example, to enter John Smith to your application, type in "John" (rather than John Smith ) and select the correct record from the popup list. To narrow down your search results, click on More Criteria. Note: Use the additional information provided in the search table (Staff ID, School, etc) to ensure you are selecting the correct personnel record. You can remove a person from the application by clicking the rubbish bin icon. If you are having trouble finding the correct personnel record, please contact a QUEST Administrator. Training Manual for Researchers How to Create an Online Human Ethics Application Page 5 of 10
To enter details about investigators and students click the hyperlinked name in the record table. The record will expand to allow you to answer the questions. The first five fields are system generated from the database. Please inform a QUEST Administrator if these fields are incorrect. The remaining fields are mandatory. To continue, click the green tick at the bottom of the table to save the record, or the red cross to exit without saving. You can delete a record by click the rubbish bin on the right of the record table. Training Manual for Researchers How to Create an Online Human Ethics Application Page 6 of 10
Add and Edit Attachments You are required to attach all supporting documentation in Section 11 - Required Attachments. The dot-point list (highlighted in blue below) is displayed depending on the answers you have provided in the form. Each of these items are mandatory for your application. To attach a document, click on the upload icon in the Soft Copy column. In the pop-up, click on Choose File and browse your computer for the correct document. Click OK to save or Cancel to return to the form. You may enter a document description; however, the title of the actual file will be the Reference/Document Title of the attachment. Please ensure this is appropriately named before uploading. The Document Descriptions in this table are provided as a guide. To attach any additional documentation against a particular description or with a new description, click Additional Attachments above the table. Enter the relevant Document Description then attach your file as above. Only use the checkbox in Hard Copy column if you are handing in a physical copy of that particular document to the Ethics Officer. To navigate within the table, use the numbers next to Change page in the bottom row. You can display all of the available attachment records by adjusting the Page size field and clicking Change. Training Manual for Researchers How to Create an Online Human Ethics Application Page 7 of 10
Finalise and Submit Application Once you are confident you have answered all the required fields and attached supporting documentation, you may submit your application. Click on the Action tab in the left-hand column then choose Submit Your Ethics Application. The system will then convert the form to read-only and send it to the next stage in the workflow. You may also use Withdraw Application at any time if you do not wish to go ahead with this application. This will notify the Ethics Officer, who will remove the record on your behalf. Print or Save a Copy of Your Application You can use the report icon at any stage to generate a printer friendly version of the form. Select HTML to print to screen. To save as a.pdf file to your computer select PDF then save a copy from the pop up screen (how to do this will depend on the PDF Reader you have installed). Training Manual for Researchers How to Create an Online Human Ethics Application Page 8 of 10
Amendment Process - Application Comments There may be stages throughout the application process in which the Ethics Officer will instruct you to amend your application form. These amendments will be communicated to you via Comments within the eform. Comments can either relate to the application as a whole (Application Comments) or to a specific page or question (Page Comments). Comment indicators (Flags) Coloured flags indicate the type and/or status of the comment, and will appear against the application title or next to the applicable page titles in the form navigation menu. There are two type of comments: General Comment and Action Comment. A General Comment will appear as a white flag. General Comments are used to make notes or observations about the application. You do not need to respond directly to a General Comment, but the Comment may help inform you as to how to amend your application in general. An Action Comment will appear first as a red flag. The red flag indicates that you are required to amend questions in your application in order to proceed with the ethics process. Red flag = Action Required: researcher to view comment and make changes Yellow flag = Responded: awaiting resolution from Ethics Officer Green flag = Resolved: response deem satisfactory, no action required White flag = General Comment: no action required Training Manual for Researchers How to Create an Online Human Ethics Application Page 9 of 10
Responding to comments To view the comment, select the page against which the comment is flagged. Then click the Comments icon. Page A new box will pop up listing all the comments against that page. Hover over the comment to view, or click on the comment to open it up. Click OK to close the Page Comments box to go back to the application form. Amend the answers in the application form as per the required changes. Once you have amended the relevant question you must provide a response to the Action Comment briefly outlining how you have revised your form answer. Click response. and enter your Remember to click the green tick at the bottom of the table to save your response, or the red cross to exit without saving. You can delete your response by clicking the rubbish bin on the right of the table. Clicking OK will not save your response. Remember to click the green tick. When you have finished responding to all the Action Comments on a page, select the comments and click Mark Selected Comments as Responded. The colour of the flag will now change to yellow and the page will become Read Only. Do not mark the comments as Responded until you are completely satisfied with your revised answers.you will no longer have access to edit the page or the comments. Once you have made all the required amendments and responded to all the Action Comments on the application click on the Action tab in the left-hand column then choose Submit Revised Application to resubmit the application for review. Training Manual for Researchers How to Create an Online Human Ethics Application Page 10 of 10