When preparing your application, you may need some of the following documents to ensure that you comply with the ethical requirements as prescribed by current legislation, as well as particular fields of study, such as psychology.

Ensure that you read these documents closely when you prepare your application as it will enhance the quality of the application and ensure a speedy review process.

Legislation

1. Health Professions Ethical Code

This document outlines the ethical conduct rules for practitioners registered under the Health Professions Act (56 of 1974) and contains detailed information about issues of informed consent to assessment, counseling and research by health practitioners (specifically psychologists).

3. The Children's Act (Act no of 2005)

You will need to acquaint yourself with the Children's Act if you plan to conduct research that involves children as respondents or participants.

4. Children's Amendment Act, 41 of 2007

You will need to familiarise yourself with requirements regarding children in child-headed households.

Policy documents

1. Code of ethics for researchers - University of Pretoria

This document describes the Ethics Code for Researchers at the University of Pretoria and outlines the responsibilities of staff members and supervisors with respect to various aspects of academic research and publishing.

2. Health Professions Council of South Africa - Booklet on Informed consent

This document explains what is meant by informed consent and how health care practitioners registered in terms of the Health Professions Act (1974) should go about obtaining informed consent.

3. Health Professions Council of South Africa - Booklet on confidentiality

This document, like the one above explains issues related to confidentiality in the context of health services.

4. Health Professions Council of South Africa - Booklet on general guidelines for good practice

This document contains general information about good practice for health professionals registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.

5. Policy guidelines for responsible research - University of Pretoria

This document outlines what responsible research is, what the mandate of the Faculty Ethics Committee is in terms of shaping policy and also outlines what research misconduct is, and the procedures to be followed for bringing a charge of misconduct.