All PhD students will be expected to carry out their research in a manner which complies with their departmental code of research ethics. In most cases, this means that prior to the commencement of any research studies, students will be required to provide an ethical review of their project.

The University of Cambridge has four School-level Research Ethics Committees which review projects involved human participants and/or personal data. Some Departments or Faculties also have their own, bespoke, localised Research Ethics Committees or procedures. This list provides brief guidance on the remit of these different committees and have to contact them.

It is recommended that you consult with your department to find which research committee will need to give your project ethical approval during the first few weeks of your studies.

As outlined in the introduction to this section, assignments or dissertations will be submitted online. Many of these submissions will then be processed through the Turnitin UK Text-Matching Software. This software compares the text of submitted work to sources in its database, which is made up of internet content, selected journals, and previous student submissions. Turnitin is just one method of checking the originality of a student's work, and examiners or markers may use alternative procedures to investigate originality.

Please familiarise yourself with the University's Academic Misconduct Guidance for more information. Find out more about a range of techniques to avoid plagiarism with the Good Academic Practice Guide.

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