Standard operating procedures (SOPs)

SOPs are beneficial in situations where consistency of process is required to mitigate, minimize, or manage risk and discomfort. SOPs are also useful in situations where differences in protocol execution across members of the research team may negatively affect data reliability and integrity.

Some SOPs are written by the research team, while others are developed and maintained by groups such as the Research Ethics Boards, Animal Care Committee, or the Network of Networks. SOPs are living documents that should be reviewed and updated regularly (e.g., annually or on a set schedule). Copies of SOPs should be readily available to members of the research team and consulted as needed when carrying out procedures. Sharing of SOPs among researchers is encouraged to share expertise and build capacity. Equipment manuals should also be reviewed when developing SOPs as they often contain health and safety information, and cleaning and maintenance instructions which are helpful to include or refer to in the SOP. 

When should I include SOPs in my research ethics application?

SOPs are to be included in human participant research ethics applications when the research involves:

• equipment or devices that have been created and/or built by the researchers to collect bio-metric or physiological data, 
• commercially produced equipment or devices that have been modified by the researchers, or are being used differently from the manufacturer's directions/terms of use, and where there is the possibility of injury, harm, or discomfort to participants, 
• a controlled act as outlined by the Regulated Health Professions Act of Ontario, 
• any other use of equipment or devices where the procedure includes the possibility of injury, harm, or discomfort to a participant (e.g., EEG cap and gel, EMG/ECG electrodes, TMS, tDCS, etc.)

For Animal Utilization Protocols (AUPs), University of Waterloo researchers and instructors can find approved versions of SOPs on Animal Users MS Teams site under the following topics: 

• Animal Care Committee (ACC) administrative processes and guidelines for AUP submissions
• Specific procedures for animal species, husbandry and care, and field research
• Emergency response and Crisis Management procedures

These SOPs can be referenced in the Procedures table of the AUP but do not need to be attached if the approved SOP is being followed. Deviations to the approved SOP or SOPs for new procedures must be uploaded to the AUP for review and approval by the Animal Care Committee. University of Waterloo researchers may request access to the Animal Users MS Teams site by sending an email to the Office of Research Ethics. 

When should I also include a manual or product insert in my human participant research ethics application? 

If the study protocol relies on a piece of equipment that may affect participant comfort or experience, a user manual or product insert should be provided as supplemental information in the equipment section of the ethics application. Researchers should thoroughly review these materials when developing their study protocol and SOPs. Manuals or product inserts may contain details that will impact participant eligibility criteria, as well as outline harms or risks of using the equipment along with safeguards that need to be put in place. 

N2 SOPs are available to Waterloo researchers conducting biomedical and clinical research. Contact Research Ethics for a copy by indicating the SOP# and title found in the Table of Contents for N2 SOPs (PDF). 

Updated September 2025