Institutional Review Board
IRB research proposal applications are due by the last business day of each month, and will be reviewed no later than the final week of the following month (except July and December).
Fall 2018 Meetings: September 24, October 22, November 26
Contact: Molly Quick, Ph.D. | Chair, Institutional Review Board (IRB)
irb@northwestu.edu
What is the IRB?
The Institutional Review Board is a committee designed to regulate care of participants in research conducted by members of the Northwest University community: faculty, staff, students, and doctoral candidates.
As a focal point, the IRB strives to establish and enforce ethical guidelines that protect participants from harm, while also respecting their personal dignity. Current federal policy stipulates both the necessity and requirements of institutional research boards. Further, the NU IRB has outlined principles and practices. specific to Northwest University.
What type of projects are subject to review by the IRB?
All potential research projects using human participants (including those conducted by students as part of a class assignment) need to be reviewed by this board prior to their implementation, unless they meet the criteria for exempt status.
A study is exempt if it
- is held in an educational setting and examines practical educational practices.
- consists of passive observation of participants whose identity is kept anonymous.
- uses only previously collected, anonymous documents & records, or data available to the public.
I’m planning a research project. Where do I start?
There are two levels of IRB application, full and abbreviated (often called “the short form”). Answer these questions about your study; if the answer to any question(s) is yes, you must use the NUIRB_Full Application . Otherwise, use the NUIRB_Abbreviated Application.
Guidance about how to complete the form itself can be found in the NUIRB Application Instructions & Tips.
Don’t forget to create consent forms that are specific to your study and participants. Examples: NUIRB Anonymous Data Collection_Student Researcher, NUIRB Confidential Data Collection_Faculty Researcher, NUIRB Electronic Data Collection