Research Methods, Class-Based Research Assignment Protocol Form
For Course Title and #:____
Rutgers Instructor Name: _____
The IRB has established the following guidelines for determining when certain activities to be conducted in a
course with all students as a research assignment fall under the IRB’s classroom-directed exercises policy.

Instructions: please visit the Course Related-Student Research Assignments IRB webpage.

Faculty Responsibilities: Rutgers faculty members who require students to undertake a classroom-based
research assignment are responsible for the conduct of such projects. Faculty must adhere and assure
that the guidelines outlined here are met. Otherwise, faculty must ensure that any research that falls
outside of these criteria is submitted to the IRB for a regular review.
It is the responsibility of the Rutgers faculty member to discuss general principles of ethical conduct in
research with the students prior to the initiation of the project. The faculty member must ensure that all
surveys/ questionnaires/ interviews are preceded by a disclosure about the research assignment to the
respondent via an oral script (which is included at the end of this document).
Faculty members should help students understand that they are obligated to minimize risks for human
subjects with whom they interact during the completion of their assignments. Faculty must provide basic
training to students on standard research practices to protect the rights and welfare of the individuals
who act as participants, such as obtaining consent, ensuring confidentiality, responsible fieldwork, and
providing contact information of the faculty and IRB.
Copyright, 2014. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
Version: 08/11/14
Request for Approval of a Class-Based Research Assignment
Please use only this form to request for approval of a "Research Methods Class-Based Protocol".
Instructions and sample language are noted in boldfaced italics within the brackets [ ].
Please modify with your class assignment specifics and remove these instructions in your final version.
1) Describe the Class Assignment and Course Objectives
[Provide background information that illuminates the purpose of this class assignment. Please indicate how this
assignment will comply with criteria above. For example, the purpose of this course, (enter title), is to first
introduce the students to ________. Second, it allows the students to collect data (state the general purpose of
the assignment, the duration of the assignment etc.) Summarize the available research (including published
data) to provide justification for the assignment].
2) Describe the Subject Population & Recruitment
[Describe the sampling approach. Provide background about the intended subject population who will be
recruited for the study. Describe the recruitment methods that students will employ, even if using fellow Rutgers
students or using convenience or snowball sampling].
3) Describe the Project Methodology and Consent Process
[Provide a full description of the methods for study data collection. Include a timeline for the duration of subject
participation in the project. It’s understood that methods will vary with the research approach used (qualitative,
quantitative). The selected methods should be sufficiently described to justify the use of the approach for answering
the defined research assignment. For example, each student will be required to interview one subject (______);
each student will explain the project and will ask the participant if he or she would like to participate
by oral consent (see below). If the participant agrees to participate, then the student and participant will start a
conversation, using ONLY the ( ) questions below, which are provided in the previous class by the professor before
the assignment. In addition, the professor will practice the interviews in class so that the students know how to
appropriately approach his/her subject].
4) Describe Provisions for the Protection of Any Identifiable Information
[Data should be collected in an anonymous-fashion, meaning that participants’ names or other unique
identifiers should not be collected and/or recorded. However, if the research assignment must include
recordings, then the completed recordings need to be given to the faculty member after the final class report or
class presentation. The data must be kept in the faculty member’s office while s/he grades the projects; after
grading, the recording(s) must be destroyed (permanently erased). NO DATA MAY BE KEPT].
5) Provide a Copy of the Survey/Interview Questions
[Please list all questions to be asked of interviewees by students here OR attach
surveys/questionnaires/interview guide. Note that the submitted instrument/interview guide will be the only
version/items that your students can use for the assignment].
NOTE: Please submit your completed form (electronic signature is acceptable) along with the class syllabus, which
fully describes the specific class project, a copy of any surveys/interview guide and the oral consent script.
Please send all items to irb-admin@grants.rutgers.edu and include in the email subject line: “Request for
Research Methods Class-Based Protocol”.
________________________________________
Signature of Course Instructor
Copyright, 2014. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
_______________________
Date
Version: 08/11/14
Oral Consent Script
[Please modify with assignment specifics]
“Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening”
I am a student from Rutgers University. You are invited to participate in a research assignment for my ______
[describe] class with Dr. ___________ [who is a Professor in ____ Department at Rutgers University] and I would
like to ask you questions about your thoughts/feelings on _____ [describe]. The purpose of this assignment is to
understand how ____ [describe] by asking you to participate in ___ [describe. e.g., a survey/ participate in an
interview]. Your participation will last approximately___ [hours/minutes].
In our conversation, I will not ask you for your name, address, phone number, date of birth, etc. Please do not
mention any of this personal information in our conversation (such as your name, address). Therefore, data
collection is anonymous.
[If applicable, please include] I would like for your permission to allow me to audiotape this conversation for the
research assignment. The recording will be used for to ______[describe] and to be used as an example in my
written assignment. The recording will be turned in to Dr. ____ [state] for proof of my completion of this
assignment. Once I have received my grade, Dr. ____ [state] will delete the recording.
There are no foreseeable risks to participation in this study. You may/may not receive any direct benefit from
taking part in this study.
Participation in this study is voluntary. You may choose not to participate. You may withdraw at any time during
our conversation without any penalty to you. In addition, you may choose not to answer any questions with which
you are not comfortable.
If you have any questions about the study or study procedures, you may contact Dr. ___ [state] by phone at
______[state] or by email at: ______ [state].
If you have any questions about your rights as a research subject, you may contact the IRB Administrator at
Rutgers University at: 848-932-0150.
Do you have any questions before we begin? If not, by participating in the above stated procedures, then you
agree to participation in this study.
Copyright, 2014. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
Version: 08/11/14