HDLC Policies & Principles

The Behavioral Sciences Review Board (BREB) of the University must approve the acceptability of all studies (including theses) that involve human subjects. This approval is required when any human being is subjected to experimental procedures or when an invasion of privacy may be involved (e.g., by examination of records, by interview, or by administration of a questionnaire). For graduate thesis research, the student's supervisor is the Principal Investigator and takes ultimate responsibility for the ethical conduct of the research. Students are named as co-investigators in the application to the Behavioural Research Ethics Board (BREB).https://ethics.research.ubc.ca

Tri-Council Policy Statement – Second Edition (TCPS-2) Tutorial
Graduate students involved in human subject research are required to complete the TCPS-2 Tutorial before an application is submitted to the BREB. Principal Investigators have overall responsibility for the ethical conduct of research projects. It is necessary for all Principal Investigators to be thoroughly familiar with the Tri-Council Policy Statement for the Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans- Second Edition (TCPS-2) when supervising graduate students. The aim of this requirement is to improve understanding of Tri-Council Policy Statement for the Ethical Conduct for Research involving Humans (TCPS-2) in the research community and, in particular, to ground junior researchers an appreciation of ethical principles and ethical conduct from the beginning of their careers. Another benefit may be that applications to the BREB will have fewer basic flaws than in the past. While students must complete the TCPS-2 before conducting their research they are encouraged to complete it during their first semester in the program.

The TCPS-2 tutorial is free and can be completed in about two hours.

TCPS-2 information document:http://www.pre.ethics.gc.ca/eng/policy-politique/initiatives/tcps2-eptc2/Default

TCPS-2 tutorial:https://tcps2core.ca/welcome

More can be found at: https://ethics.research.ubc.ca/behavioural-research-ethics/breb-guidance-notes/guidance-notes-behavioural-application

Students should be meeting regularly with Program Advisors and/or Research Supervisors, staying in touch by email, Skype, and/or having face to face meetings. If students do not seem to be making adequate academic progress, it might be best to begin recording notes for meetings so both student and Advisor can stay on track. Failure to submit the Annual Progress Report can result in blocking a student’s registration for the coming semester.

As per the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies requirements, every student in ECPS is required to submit an Annual Progress Report. This report is submitted to the student’s supervisor/advisor who reviews the report for performance and progress, and then submits the annual review to the Graduate Program Assistants so that it can be put in the student’s file. If progress on the report is deemed to be poor, the supervisor may choose to address the concerns alone, with assistance from the student’s program committee, or with select members from the program area. In some cases, when the student progress is not deemed satisfactory, the ECPS Director of Graduate Programs may become involved and will notify the student in writing and request a response from the student.

PGS forms can be found at: https://ecps.educ.ubc.ca/human-development-learning-and-culture/hdlc-forms-and-resources/#program-of-graduate-studies-20-0

The University of British Columbia is committed to providing its employees and students with the best possible environment for working and learning, an environment that allows friendship and collegiality to flourish. Every student and member of faculty and staff at the University of British Columbia has the right to study and work in an environment free from discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment. The University therefore does not condone discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment, of any kind. Indeed, the University regards discrimination and harassment as serious offences that are subject to a wide range of disciplinary measures, including dismissal or expulsion from the University. The University and all members of the University community share responsibility for ensuring that the work and study environment at UBC is free from discrimination and harassment including sexual harassment and all grounds protected by the B.C. Human Rights Act.

The University of British Columbia has also established a program of employment equity to provide a fair and equitable workplace and to offer all individuals full opportunity to develop their potential. Accordingly, the University will identify and eliminate any discriminatory barriers that interfere with employment opportunities in all jobs and at all levels throughout the University. Both current and prospective faculty and staff will receive equitable treatment in hiring, training, and promotion procedures. The fundamental consideration for recruitment and retention of faculty and staff at the University of British Columbia is individual achievement and merit. Consistent with this principle, the University will advance the interests of women, native people, persons with disabilities, and visible minorities, ensure that equal opportunity is afforded to all who seek employment at the University, and treat equitably all faculty and staff. More information and specific policies can be found at: https://equity.ubc.ca/how-we-can-help/policies

ECPS as a Department had agreed on principles for oral communication, written work, and social interaction. These emphasize non-sexist language, person first language, and specific ways of interacting with students with disabilities, as well as a common grading rubric and requirements for scholarship, such as proper reference to and use of the literature. You’ll see these noted in course outlines as well.

Non-sexist Language
Please incorporate and use non-sexist language [also called gender inclusive language] in your oral and written language. This language positions women and men equally, it does not exclude one gender or the other, nor does it demean the status of one gender or another. It does not stereotype genders [assuming all childcare workers are female and all police officers are male], nor does it use false generics [using mankind instead of human kind, or using man-made instead of hand crafted]. In addition, this language requires an attention to gender balance in personal pronouns, for example, use "he and she" rather than "he" or balance gendered examples in a paper, referring to both male and female examples. You may also recast subjects into the plural form, e.g., when a student raises his hand/when students raise their hands.

Person First Language
Please incorporate and use person first language in your oral and written language. Disabilities and differences are not persons and they do not define persons, so do not replace person-nouns with disability-nouns. Avoid using: the aphasic, the schizophrenic, stutterers, the hearing impaired. Also avoid using: cleft palate children, the hearing impaired client, the dyslexic lawyer, the developmentally disable adult. Instead, emphasize the person, not the disability, by putting the person-noun first: the lawyer who has dyslexia, persons who stutters, the children described as language impaired, the teacher with a hearing impairment.

Students with Disabilities
We strive to include all students, including those with special learning needs. A student registered needing academic accommodation should register with Access and Diversity and provide your instructor with an Academic Accommodation Letter from Access & Diversity that identifies the accommodations that you are eligible for. We adhere to UBC Policy 73: Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities. This information is located at:https://students.ubc.ca/about-student-services/access-diversity . We will respect the confidentiality of the information you share and work with you so your learning needs are met.

Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct
Students are responsible for informing themselves of the guidelines of acceptable and non-acceptable conduct for graded assignments established by their instructors for specific courses and of the examples of academic misconduct set out below. Academic misconduct that is subject to disciplinary measures includes, but is not limited to, engaging in, attempting to engage in, or assisting others to engage, in any of the actions described below.

Cheating, which may include but is not limited to:

• Falsification of any material subject to academic evaluation, including research data;
• Use of or participation in unauthorized collaborative work;
• Use or possession in an examination of any materials (including devices) other than those permitted by the examiner;
• Use, possession, or facilitation of unauthorized means to complete an examination (e.g., receiving unauthorized assistance from another person, or providing that assistance); and
• Dishonest practices that breach rules governing examinations or submissions for academic evaluation (see the Rules Governing Formal Examinations).
• Plagiarism: See ECPS and UBC policy at: https://ecps.educ.ubc.ca/internal/policies-procedures/ecps-policy-on-plagiarism
  • Please take care to acknowledge your sources, including the Internet, using APA Style (American Psychological Association, 6th Edition).

ECPS Grading policies can be found at: https://ecps-educ.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2013/10/ECPS-Grades-for-Undergraduate-Graduate-Courses-May-07.pdf

Please see ECPS Policies and procedures for further information:https://ecps.educ.ubc.ca/internal/policies-procedures