Section 1
Projects Requiring Review
If any project falls within one of the following categories, it must be reviewed by the IRB.
- 1: It is externally funded
- 2: It places subjects at more than minimal risk (physical, emotional, psychological or social risk)
- 3: It involves minors or other vulnerable populations (prisoners, pregnant women and fetuses, mentally disabled individuals)
- 4: It investigates behaviors and/or experiences related to sensitive topics such as illegal conduct, drug use, sexual behavior, or use of alcohol
- 5: It is caried out to partially fulfill a Master's Degree requirement
Here are some examples of projects which must be reviewed:
- Research which might place subjects at greater risk than that experienced in everyday life
- Research involving psychological or physiological intervention
- Projects which involve minors in school settings
- Research involving deception
- Interviews or surveys about sensitive topics.
- Research involving special populations, e.g. minors, prisoners, mentally ill
- Research conducted outside the United States, regardlesss of the procedures involved
Procedure for Exempt Applications
While many projects involving human subjects research need to undergo a full review by the Institutional Review Board, some projects qualify for exemption. To see if your project fulfills the exempt criteria, complete the exempt research checklist found in the exempt research review packet.