Engineering Research Involving Human Participants
The Journal "Irrigation and Melioration" primarily publishes research in theoretical and applied mechanics, mechanical engineering, structural mechanics, fluid and gas mechanics, computational mechanics, transport systems, machinery, and related engineering disciplines.
In certain cases, research submitted to the journal may involve human participants. Such research may include studies in ergonomics, biomechanics, occupational safety, human–machine interaction, driver or operator behaviour, engineering education, usability testing, questionnaires, interviews, or measurements of human movement and performance.
Authors are responsible for ensuring that all research involving human participants is conducted in accordance with applicable institutional and national ethical requirements.
Where required, authors must:
- obtain approval from an appropriate institutional ethics committee or other authorized body before the study begins;
- provide the name of the approving institution or committee;
- provide the approval or reference number, where available;
- obtain voluntary informed consent from participants;
- clearly explain the purpose and procedures of the research to participants;
- protect participants’ privacy, confidentiality, and personal data;
- ensure that participation does not expose individuals to unreasonable physical, psychological, occupational, or technical risks.
Additional safeguards must be applied where research involves minors, persons with limited decision-making capacity, employees participating under workplace authority, or other potentially vulnerable groups.
The manuscript must include an appropriate ethics statement.
Where ethics approval was required, authors should state:
Ethics approval: The study was approved by [name of the institution or ethics committee], approval number [number].
Where formal ethics approval was not required under institutional or national regulations, authors should state:
Ethics approval: Formal ethics approval was not required for this study under the applicable institutional and national regulations.
Where informed consent was obtained, authors should state:
Consent to participate: Voluntary informed consent was obtained from all participants before participation in the study.
Research that does not involve human participants, personal data, questionnaires, interviews, usability testing, or human-related measurements should state:
Research involving human participants: Not applicable.