Frequently Asked Questions
Do all research activities have to go through ethics review?
According to the University Research Ethics Office (UREO), application and securing of ethics clearance must be processed for:
research involving direct interaction with living human participants
research involving collection of data or materials (e.g., biological specimens, voice recordings, videos or images) from living human participants
Research involving human participants categorized as "minimal risk" and meets certain criteria can be validated for exemption from the review process. Validation of Exemption is still part of the ethics review process and must be applied for with the UREO.
For more information on research ethics guidelines, visit the UREO website.
Additional notes on ethics clearance:
To avoid pitfalls, the student is strongly encouraged to:
verify research ethics guidelines of UREO
work with the adviser/s and other panel members to ensure that ethics approval is secured prior to the actual conduct of the research
ascertain whether ethics clearance is required for journal publication
Additionally, adviser/s, panel reader/s, and other panel members are expected to ensure that the TDCP has met ethical requirements.
What if my research does not involve human participants?
Research that does not involve human participants may still require regulation from other bodies in the University and the student must comply with these relevant University policies. It should also be noted that some journals require ethics clearance for publication. With respect to UREO and the Ateneo de Manila University Research Ethics Committee (AdMUREC or UREC), however, no further action is required from the student as per UREO guidelines.
Additional notes on ethics clearance:
To avoid pitfalls, the student is strongly encouraged to:
verify research ethics guidelines of UREO
work with the adviser/s and other panel members to ensure that ethics approval is secured prior to the actual conduct of the research
ascertain whether ethics clearance is required for journal publication
Additionally, adviser/s, panel reader/s, and other panel members are expected to ensure that the TDCP has met ethical requirements.
What are the publication requirements for my program?
Depending on a graduate student’s degree and the school year the student was admitted/shifted to a new degree program, the student may be required to submit a paper for conference presentation and/or publication before graduation. The required publication output per degree type and admission date is summarized in the table below.
The new policy on publication and dissemination has been aligned with the CMO 15 series 2019 requirement.
Students must also comply with the publication and dissemination requirements of their degree programs, should this be above the minimum requirements of the Ateneo de Manila University.
What are the eligibility criteria of the Adviser, Co-adviser/s, Panel Reader/s, and Panel Members?
Primary Adviser
have a PhD or doctoral degree
be a permanent faculty member (or in tenure track)
be chosen on the basis of the adviser's expertise and research interests aligned with the student's research topic
be a faculty member from the department/program where the student is enrolled; and belonging to a research group of the department; and
have completed/published work in the past 5 years and has ongoing research work
Co-adviser/s
have at least a master’s degree with doctoral units (or its equivalent)
be a current faculty member and/or research affiliate of the Ateneo de Manila University; and
be chosen on the basis of the expertise and research interests aligned with the student’s research topic
Panel Reader/s
have a PhD or doctoral degree
an expert in the field of study / a content or method specialist
Panel Members
at least a master’s degree for a master’s defense;
doctoral degree for a dissertation defense.
What is the composition of the Examination Panel?
Capstone Project
The Capstone Project panel should have at least 3 members, including the Panel Reader:
panel reader (1)
other members (2)
The primary adviser may be part of the panel composition. An additional external member (not affiliated with Ateneo de Manila University) is optional.
Thesis
The thesis panel should have at least 3 members, including the Panel Reader and the method specialist:
panel reader (1)
other members (2)
The primary adviser may be part of the panel composition. An additional external member (not affiliated with Ateneo de Manila University) is optional.
Dissertation
The dissertation panel should have at least 5 members, including the assigned panel readers, the method specialist, and an external member:
panel readers (2)
other members (2)
external member (1)
The primary adviser may be part of the panel composition.
Notes:
As mandated by CMO 15 series of 2019, the thesis/dissertation panel should have among its members content and method specialists. A method specialist provides technical advice on the appropriate methodology to be used including the specific research design and specific technique to analyze either quantitative or qualitative data.
The department/program may assign more than the minimum required panel members as required by its CMO for Policies and Standards. With the exception of the primary adviser and the assigned Panel Reader/s who should have a Ph.D. or doctoral degree, all other panelists should have at least a:
master’s degree for a master’s defense;
doctoral degree for a dissertation defense.
Is the Panel Reader the same as the Style Reader?
The panel reader is not the same as the style reader. The responsibilities of the panel reader include:
evaluating the TDCP proposal as ready for writing stage
evaluating the TDCP as ready for defense
evaluating the publication potential of the work
ensuring that the TDCP has met ethical requirements
On the other hand, the style reader checks the mechanics and technical specifications of the manuscript after the final oral defense and before submission of the final manuscript.