Proposal Types

There are two types of review, standard and expedited. Regardless, researchers are strongly encouraged to be proactive and submit their proposals well in advance of their planned research. If you have any questions about which type to pursue, please contact the chair of the IRB committee.

Summer Research

The IRB does not meet during the summer. This means that if you plan to conduct summer research involving human participants you should plan to have your proposals ready for review for the last meeting in the spring semester. This is especially true for proposals requiring standard review.

The deadlines are April 15 for a standard review and May 1 for an expedited review.

Proposal Submission

All proposals must be sent to IRB using the online Institutional Review Board (IRB) Submission Form. Researchers are strongly encouraged to look over the form and prepare their answers and documents ahead of time.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Submission Form

Required Materials

In addition to the questions in the form, you will be required to provide:

1. The data-collection instrument you will use, already prepared, such as a copy of a questionnaire, interview protocols, test procedures, etc.
2. An information for participants script or document, outlining the details of the project: what you are doing, how you plan to use the participant’s information, and how it may affect them. Please use the Information for Participants template (docx) to guide your work.

Additional Materials

You may also be required to provide the following materials:

1. A consent statement, such as the initial text at the start of an electronic survey or a written form participants will sign.
2. Debriefing text, thanking the participants, providing additional details about the research, inviting questions or learn about the results, and providing contact with a counselor, if needed. A debrief is deemed essential, strongly encouraged for inclusion, and required for research where deception is used.