ILEIID 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)

ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS

Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXV October 2025

Page 235

www.rsisinternational.org

APB Research Ethics Help Centre

Muhammad Nasiruddin Aziz, *

Nurizah Md Ngadiran,

Syamimi Turiman,

Syafiqah Johan Amir

Johan,

Siti Sarah Roselan

1,2,3,4,5

Akademi Pengajian Bahasa, Universiti Teknologi MARA 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor

*Corresponding Author

DOI:

https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.925ILEIID000043

Received: 23 September 2025; Accepted: 30 September 2025; Published: 05 November 2025

ABSTRACT

The requirement and expectation for ethics adherence in research grew in recent years, urging researchers to

observe ethical research practices and standards. Despite its undeniable importance, many often face some

common challenges- understanding the processes and procedures and having an accessible platform to refer to,

upon attempting to adhere to research ethics, leaving them demotivated and confused. To tackle these often-

reported issues, the research, therefore, aims to develop a research ethics help centre as a point-of-reference,

that is not only functional but also user-friendly. This is done through the use of the ADDIE model, including

its five (5) stages of (i) analysis, (ii) design, (iii) development, (iv) implementation, and (v) evaluation. The

development starts through analysing the needs of research ethics applicants, by collecting their feedback on

the online messaging platform WhatsApp. Based on the input received, the objective is then identified before

the web-based platform is designed. Using Google Sites as the preferred website builder, the help centre is

developed and implemented for applicants to use. The development culminates in the evaluation of APB

Research Ethics Help Centre through an online survey, which looks into a number of components related to the

overall user experience upon surfing the website. To ensure a pleasant browsing experience, the development

of APB Research Ethics Help Centre is also guided by the principles of Hick’s Law. Overall, this help centre is

believed to be a practical approach to making sure that the processes and procedures in research ethics are

understood by many.

Keywords: Research ethics, ADDIE model, Hick’s Law

INTRODUCTION

To form the foundation and credible scholarship, it is crucial to undergo ethical research practices. For the past

several decades, the importance of research ethics has been increasingly emphasised by universities and

research institutions all over the world (Busher & Fox, 2022; Butterwick et al., 2020). Looking at this scenario,

ethics is not just an administrative requirement, but plays a vital role in conducting research, publishing

findings, as well as securing funding. According to Anderson (2017), disciplines that involve human

participants, for instance, language, communication, and education, require careful attention to issues such as

privacy, informed consent, and data security. Hence, experienced researchers and novice scholars are obliged

to understand, internalise, and accept the ethical frameworks.

Regardless of the growing awareness pertaining to this matter, current studies suggest that institutional efforts

to promote research ethics should often remain procedural and compliance oriented. The primary focus should

be on approval and documentation processes, instead of fostering a sustained culture of ethical reflection

(Steinert et al., 2021; Pizzolato & Dierickx, 2021). This gap reveals that, while ethical policies have become

more officialised, the translation into consistent daily research practices remains jagged. Many researchers,

especially particularly novice researchers, are facing doubts when confronted with complicated ethical

problems during data collection, analysis, or publication. To add, the lack of accessible institutional support

further bounds the efficiency of ethical frameworks in improving legitimate ethical accountability and

awareness.

ILEIID 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)

ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS

Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXV October 2025

Page 236

www.rsisinternational.org

This gap is very concerning due to the increasing incidence of integrity-related challenges in academia, for

instance, plagiarism, data fabrication, and authorship disputes. These issues will threaten the integrity of

individual researchers and damage the global confidence in academic bodies. Consequently, there is a pressing

requirement for methods to advance ethical dialogue, reflection, and professional growth.

After reviewing these challenges, the development of a Research Ethics Help Centre is projected as a hands-on

institutional initiative designed to fulfil the identified gaps. The Help Centre provides researchers with

continuous guidance and support in steering ethical complications across all steps of the research route. All in

all, the initiative seeks to promote a more ethically conscious research philosophy that highlights the

importance of credibility, transparency, as well as accountability in the academic society.

Problem Statement

On the other hand, although the availability of institutional guidelines and policies are at present, researchers

always encounter obstacles in navigating the ethics approval process (Chow et al., 2025; M Petrova et al.,

2019). Some of the struggles that they may face are in interpreting complex terminology, locating the correct

forms, or identifying the appropriate contacts for clarification. Fragmented information sources and

inconsistent instructions often leave researchers demotivated and confused (Chow et al., 2025; M Petrova et

al., 2019). These challenges can have a number of consequences, such as delayed approvals, incomplete

applications, or inadvertent breaches of protocol. Therefore, these challenges call for a streamlined, user-

friendly point-of-reference that applicants can go to, especially for remote and diverse participant groups (E

Skelton et al., 2020).

This project was done to curb these challenges by developing the APB Research Ethics Help Centre, a web-

based platform. This platform offers consolidated, easy-to-navigate guidance on ethics processes. The aims of

the platform are to demystify the ethics application process, reduce confusion, and promote adherence to

ethical standards by leveraging the principles of instructional design and user experience.

Objectives

The APB Research Ethics Help Centre was designed with the following specific objective:

1. To develop a centralised online help centre that consolidates all essential information related to

research ethics applications within the faculty.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION & METHODOLOGY

Product Description

The APB Research Ethics Help Centre is a web-based platform developed using Google Sites. It was chosen

due to its ease of deployment, flexibility, as well as zero licensing cost. The function of the help centre is a

one-stop reference point where researchers can access institutional guidelines and policies, step-by-step

application procedures, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), downloadable forms and templates, and contact

information for further assistance.

By adopting Hick’s Law, which posits that decision time increases with the number of available choices, the

platform’s layout was designed intentionally to highlight only the most important elements at each stage. This

approach will reduce cognitive load and improve the speed and accuracy with which users find information.

Methodology

The development process is based on the ADDIE model. This model is widely recognised in instructional

design for its systematic approach. The five stages are as mentioned below:

ILEIID 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)

ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS

Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXV October 2025

Page 237

www.rsisinternational.org

 Analysis: To identify possible users of the ethics process, a requirements assessment was conducted at the

start of the project. Participants expressed displeasure with the current channels, difficulty interpreting

protocols, and a lack of centralized information.

 Design: The team created a site map and content flow based on this advice. The selection of visual

hierarchy, font, and colour schemes was made with readability and easy navigation in mind.

 Development: The platform was created to host text, images, and hyperlinks using Google Sites. This in

turn has made sure that important forms, templates and other downloadable materials are accessible for

many.

 Implementation: After launching in a pilot programme, the support centre’s contents were made accessible

to intended users namely the postgraduate students and faculty members.

 Evaluation: Usability, accessibility, and perceived utility were evaluated using a structured online survey.

Elements including layout, instruction clarity, and resource relevancy were rated by respondents.

POTENTIAL FINDINGS AND COMMERCIALISATION

Potential Findings

Preliminary evaluations of the APB Research Ethics Help Centre discover a number of promising outcomes,

such as:

1. A significant reduction in time spent searching for information, improved comprehension of ethical

requirements, and increased confidence in completing application forms.

2. A high engagement with downloadable templates and procedural flowcharts, suggesting that the

platform effectively addresses previously identified pain points.

3. A sense of autonomy among researchers and reduce their dependencies on administrative staff,

especially for basic inquiries.

Commercialisation Potential

Opportunities for commercialisation include:

 Customisation Services: Developing tailored versions aligned with specific institutional policies.

 Training Packages: Providing workshops or online modules to train ethics officers or researchers in

using the platform.

NOVELTY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Novelty

The APB Research Ethics Help Centre is different as compared to existing resources due to its integration of

instructional design, cognitive psychology, and user-centric design principles. Previously, traditional ethics

guidelines were presented as static PDFs. It required researchers to navigate multiple portals. On the contrary,

the help centre supplies a dynamic, consolidated, and intuitive interface built explicitly to assist the

researchers.

The application of Hick’s Law to an academic support tool is another feature that needs to be mentioned. The

website permits its users to make faster, more accurate decisions about where to go and what to do next. The

consideration of the design aspect has not been applied in the context of research ethics support at APB before.

This underscores the project’s innovative element.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the feedback shared by a number of respondents through a preliminary evaluation of the help centre,

several improvements have proposed:

ILEIID 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)

ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS

Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXV October 2025

Page 238

www.rsisinternational.org

1. Incorporating engaging video tutorials, flowcharts, and multimedia walkthroughs so to cater to different

learning styles

2. Delivering rapid solutions through the integration of the state-of-art technology like AI-powered

chatbots, thus reducing the need for email or phone support

3. Assessing the usability and efficiency of the help centre through follow-up studies from the angles of

user satisfaction and administrative efficiency

4. Expanding the use of similar platforms at other faculties or institutions to determine its suitability to a

variety of research environments

These recommendations are hoped to be addressed as the APB Research Ethics Help Centre continues to be

improved and refined as the faculty assistance tool facilitating research ethics processes and procedures.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The researchers recognised and acknowledged the contributions of the members involved in your project.

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Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXV October 2025

Page 239

www.rsisinternational.org

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