Human-Vogel, SalomeCoetzee, Sonja2016-06-152016-06-152011Human-Vogel, S., & Coetzee, S. (2011). Challenges associated with ethics review of educational research at a South African university. Acta Academica, 43(2), 165-192.0587-2405 (print)2415-0479 (online)http://hdl.handle.net/11660/2981English: This article analyses the decisions and feedback from reviewers of a decentralised ethics committee to applicants in a two-year period. Results indicate that the review of research protocols by an ethics committee are complicated by challenges related to factors such as the formal requirements for review, process of informed consent, research design, how power relationships are addressed, and sample selection. These challenges are put into perspective by discussing organisational factors that lead to ethical divide rather than ethical synergy between ethics committee members and applicants.Afrikaans: Hierdie artikel bestudeer die etiekevaluasieproses deur die besluite en terugvoer van evalueerders verbonde aan ’n gedesentraliseerde etiekkomitee te analiseer oor ’n periode van twee jaar. Resultate dui aan dat die evaluasie van navorsingsprotokolle deur ’n etiekkomitee gekompliseer word deur uitdagings met betrekking tot faktore soos formele vereistes van evaluasie, ingeligde toestemmingsproses, na-vorsingsontwerp, hoe magsverhoudinge aangespreek word, en steekproefneming. Hierdie uitdagings word in perspektief geplaas deur organisatoriese faktore te beskryf wat lei tot ’n etiese gaping, eerder as etiese sinergie, tussen etiekkomiteelede en aansoekers.enEthics committeesResearch protocolsArticleUniversity of the Free State