Help
with IRB Applications
(last
updated 02.11.2007)
The University's Office of Resonsible Research
Practices (ORRP) considers the publication or
presentation of program evaluation to be research.
Therefore, if programs involve human subjects,
educators must complete the application process
if they want to share programs in this manner.
Some
research may be exempt. However, it is not up
to you to determine if you are exempt. You must
still submit an IRB application. Click
here to read more about exempt applications...
The
good news... On the premise that evaluation
is a regular part of what Extension educators
do, the request is not to do the evalution,
but rather, to use the evaluation for publication
and presentation. This is an important distinction,
and makes a difference in how you approach the
application process.
See
below for a PowerPoint presentation made at the
OSU Extension 2006 Annual Conference.
Navigating
the IRB Process ppt
Having
learned a lot in the process of successfully preparing
IRB applications the following suggestions are
offered. The examples used are from the "Exploring
Your Giving Potential" Philanthropy Camp,
which received IRB approval in March 2006.
- Start
the application process early, at least
several months before the program will occur,
the earlier the better. It will take longer
than you think.
- Take the CITI Course.
Anyone who will
be listed on a project as a Principal Investigator
(PI) or Co-Investigator (Co-PI), or key personnel
must take the on-line CITI
course (Collaborative IRB Training Initiative,
Course in the Protection of Human Research Subjects).
- Principal
Investigators - must be faculty.
- Co-PIs -
may be faculty or non-faculty. Complete
Appendix A1 to list co-investigators.
- Key Personnel
- for example, those who recruit participants
or administer evaluation instruments. Complete
Appendix A2 to list key personnel.
- Prepare
a research proposal. The proposal is
attached to the application. Information from
the proposal will be summarized in sections
of the application. The sections of the proposal
include:
- Rationale and questions
to be addressed
- Review of relevant
literature
- Procedures for collecting
data, including obtaining consent and assent
- References
Preparing
a research proposal can be time consuming,
but it ensures that you have thought through
the process of what you intend to do. If you
intend to publish or present the findngs,
this is an important step in ensuring that
you will have something worthwhile at the
end to do so.
- Prepare
the evaluation instruments. These instruments
will need to be provided with the evaluation.
- Be
sure that the information that you collect
will address the evaluation questions.
- One way to do this is to prepare a table.
In one column list your evaluation questions.
In another column, identify the questions
on your instrument that will provide the
information you need.
- Secure
necessary permission letters from research sites.
Be aware that county Extension offices and 4-H
camps are not considered "approved research
sites." Thus, permission letters are needed
to conduct research at these sites. This approval
may be provided in an e-mail.
- Request
an expedited review.
Using Appendix
B, request an expedited review. Most of what
4-H educators do will come under Category 7.
- If
your project includes children under 18 years
old, complete Appendix I.
- Prepare
consent and assent forms and scripts.
A parent permission template is provided on
the IRB website. You cannot delete information
from this template. Therefore it is helpful
to prepare an information letter that provides
a more user-friendly description.
- The consent process
may be altered or waived. This
requires completion of Appendix M1.
- Sometimes it makes
a difference how you described what you're planning
to do. For example, what we
might describe as a "participant survey"
may in fact be "student self-assessment."
|
