TSCP 2 Questions and Correct Answers
Which of the following researchers must follow TCPS 2? (select all that apply)
a) a graduate student at an eligible Canadian college conducting self-funded research on political
protest groups by interviewing members of these groups
b) a professor at an eligible Canadian university who is conducting research in Brazil on
educational initiatives involving Indigenous Peoples
c) an independent researcher hired by a private company to conduct research on consumer brand
loyalties
d) a researcher at an eligible academic institution conducts research within that institution that is
funded by their department, not the Agencies
e) a master's student at an eligible institution conducts their research with street youth, not on the
premises of the institution
f) a graduate student at an eligible Canadian university who has a grant from NSERC to conduct
research on the link between climate change and the bee population < ANSWER >a, b, d, e
What happens if a researcher with a SSHRC grant breaches the TCPS 2 when conducting their
research? (select all that apply)
a) the TCPS 2 is a voluntary set of guidelines, so there are no consequences for a breach
b) the researcher's institution may take action under the institution's policies
c) SSHRC may take recourse that can range from a letter of awareness to a denial of eligibility
for funding, depending on the seriousness of the breach < ANSWER >b, c
What is the fundamental value upon which the TCPS 2 is based?
a) do not harm
b) all persons are created equal
c) respect for human dignity
d) autonomy < ANSWER >c
How should a researcher resolve a potential conflict between ethics considerations and legal
obligations? (select all that apply)
, a) consult with colleagues, disciplinary associations, or lawyers, to determine how best to resolve
the conflict
b) fulfill the ethical obligations < ANSWER >they have more moral weight
c) follow the law < ANSWER >it always takes precedence over ethics
d) anticipate potential conflicts and design research to avoid them, where possible < ANSWER
>a, d
the TCPS 2 defines research as "an undertaking intended to extend knowledge through a
disciplined inquiry and/or systematic investigation". Which of the following activities fall within
this definition? (select all that apply)
a) Professor A meets with colleagues in their department to discuss a research question of
interest to them, with a view to refining the question
b) Professor A meets with representatives of a community to discuss conducting research within
that community on the topic they discussed with their colleagues
c) Professor A designs a pilot study to address that research question, and gets a small group of
individuals to take part in the study
d) Professor A revises the study based on their experience with the pilot study participants, and
administers the full study to a group of 100 participants < ANSWER >c, d
Which of the following person is considered a research participant? (select all that apply)
a) A patient whose tissue was removed to determine whether they had a condition requiring
treatment
b) A patient with a particular condition whose tissue was removed to help scientists better
understand that condition and how to treat it
c) An employee of a college who must fill out a job satisfaction survey anonymously for the
Human Resources department
d) That same college employee responding to a survey from a labour relations professor aimed at
measuring job satisfaction in unionized vs non-unionized academic staff < ANSWER >b, d
Complete the following sentence: "Under TCPS 2, research that relies exclusively on
information that is publicly accessible and for which there is no reasonable expectation of
privacy _________."
a) Requires REB review
Which of the following researchers must follow TCPS 2? (select all that apply)
a) a graduate student at an eligible Canadian college conducting self-funded research on political
protest groups by interviewing members of these groups
b) a professor at an eligible Canadian university who is conducting research in Brazil on
educational initiatives involving Indigenous Peoples
c) an independent researcher hired by a private company to conduct research on consumer brand
loyalties
d) a researcher at an eligible academic institution conducts research within that institution that is
funded by their department, not the Agencies
e) a master's student at an eligible institution conducts their research with street youth, not on the
premises of the institution
f) a graduate student at an eligible Canadian university who has a grant from NSERC to conduct
research on the link between climate change and the bee population < ANSWER >a, b, d, e
What happens if a researcher with a SSHRC grant breaches the TCPS 2 when conducting their
research? (select all that apply)
a) the TCPS 2 is a voluntary set of guidelines, so there are no consequences for a breach
b) the researcher's institution may take action under the institution's policies
c) SSHRC may take recourse that can range from a letter of awareness to a denial of eligibility
for funding, depending on the seriousness of the breach < ANSWER >b, c
What is the fundamental value upon which the TCPS 2 is based?
a) do not harm
b) all persons are created equal
c) respect for human dignity
d) autonomy < ANSWER >c
How should a researcher resolve a potential conflict between ethics considerations and legal
obligations? (select all that apply)
, a) consult with colleagues, disciplinary associations, or lawyers, to determine how best to resolve
the conflict
b) fulfill the ethical obligations < ANSWER >they have more moral weight
c) follow the law < ANSWER >it always takes precedence over ethics
d) anticipate potential conflicts and design research to avoid them, where possible < ANSWER
>a, d
the TCPS 2 defines research as "an undertaking intended to extend knowledge through a
disciplined inquiry and/or systematic investigation". Which of the following activities fall within
this definition? (select all that apply)
a) Professor A meets with colleagues in their department to discuss a research question of
interest to them, with a view to refining the question
b) Professor A meets with representatives of a community to discuss conducting research within
that community on the topic they discussed with their colleagues
c) Professor A designs a pilot study to address that research question, and gets a small group of
individuals to take part in the study
d) Professor A revises the study based on their experience with the pilot study participants, and
administers the full study to a group of 100 participants < ANSWER >c, d
Which of the following person is considered a research participant? (select all that apply)
a) A patient whose tissue was removed to determine whether they had a condition requiring
treatment
b) A patient with a particular condition whose tissue was removed to help scientists better
understand that condition and how to treat it
c) An employee of a college who must fill out a job satisfaction survey anonymously for the
Human Resources department
d) That same college employee responding to a survey from a labour relations professor aimed at
measuring job satisfaction in unionized vs non-unionized academic staff < ANSWER >b, d
Complete the following sentence: "Under TCPS 2, research that relies exclusively on
information that is publicly accessible and for which there is no reasonable expectation of
privacy _________."
a) Requires REB review
