The IRB
Process
Southern New Hampshire
University
When do you need an IRB
Review?
 If
your research study includes:

Human Participants

Generalizable Knowledge
Human Participants

Direct interaction with a living person

Interviews

Surveys

Focus Groups

These can be formal or informal

Do not have to be done in person

Includes observations of human behaviors
Generalizable Knowledge
 The
knowledge learned from research
that may be shared with or applied to
populations not involved in the study.
Generalizable Knowledge
YES
 Sharing
survey
results with the
general public
 Presenting
information gained
at a conference
 Published research
NO
 Sharing
survey
results with survey
participants
 Presenting
information in class
gained from a
course assignment
Before IRB Review
 Come
up with a research question

What interests you?

Can you add to information already known
on a given topic?

What is your perspective?
Before IRB Review
 Identify

the principal investigator(s)
Principal investigator(s) are the researcher
or team of researchers involved in the
project
Before IRB Review

Obtain a cooperating professor

Someone on the SNHU faculty

Has expertise in your area of study

Must be willing to supervise a research project
This professor will be your guide through the research
process, make sure it is someone you and/or your
team are able to cooperate with for the entire
project.
Before IRB Review
 Pre-Research

Abstract
 Be
able to explain what your research is, why
it is important, and how you will obtain results.

Literature Review
 Look
at other research on your topic.
Before IRB Review


Create (as needed):

Surveys

Interview questions

Observation criteria
Think about how these instruments will guide
your research

Who will be involved as participants?
IRB Review Packet
 Found

on the SNHU IRB Web Page
Go to:
my.snhu.edu, click on Offices, click on
Academic Affairs, find the Institutional Research
Review Board (IRB) link near the bottom left

All forms needed for a review packet can
be found on this page.
IRB Review Packet
 Download
and fill out

IRB Request for Review

Any necessary attachments

Informed Consent or Waver of Consent

Assurances of Principal Investigator
IRB Review Packet
 IRB
Request for Review Form

No more than one page per section

Use your pre-research to guide your answers

All sections may not pertain to your research

If you are unsure ask your advisor for
guidance
IRB Review Packet

Necessary Attachments

Does your research involve:

Employees and Students?
Fill out Attachment A

Illiterate Subjects?
Fill out Attachment B

Children?
Fill out Attachment C
IRB Review Packet
 Will
your research be conducted
overseas?

Fill out Attachment F

Make an appointment, as soon as possible,
to speak with Thomas Beraldi, Office of the
Provost t.beraldi@snhu.edu
IRB Review Packet
Informed Consent

Researchers should
assume they will need
consent

Use the guidelines and
template provided on
the IRB web site
Waver of Consent
 Consent
may be
waved only:

If being linked to the
research through a
consent form could
potentially harm
participants
Vulnerable Populations
Inability to
Understand
 Children
Coercion

Persons
 Elderly
 Diminished
Capacity to
Undocumented

Incarcerated Persons

Limited use of English
Consent
These are the most common venerable populations dealt
with at SNHU, this is not an exhaustive list.
Confidentiality
vs. Anonymity
Confidentiality
 Research
Anonymity
 Research
participants
participants
identity is known
identity is unknown
only by the
researcher(s)
IRB Review Packet
Assurances of PI
Student

Must be filled out by each
Assurances of PI
Faculty

investigator

Must be signed by
directing (cooperating)
professor

Please also include the
Must be filled out by
each investigator

Must be signed by the
dean or V/P

Please also include the
printed name of the
printed name of the
directing professor
dean or V/P
IRB Review Packet
The final packet should include:

IRB Request for Review

Any necessary attachments

Informed Consent or Waver of Consent

Assurances of Principal Investigator
E-mail electronic copies (PDF or DOCX) of all
forms to irb@snhu.edu
During IRB Review
 You
will receive an acknowledgement of
receipt from irb@snhu.edu

The acknowledgement will include the
proposal title and all investigators names
 An
IRB review level will be determined
During IRB Review

Types of review:

Exempt- no review needed


Takes up to 2 weeks
Expedited- some review needed

Takes up to 2 weeks, involves 1 or 2 IRB committee
members

Full- full review needed

Takes up to 4 weeks, involves the full IRB
committee
After IRB Review
 You
will receive an e-mail from
irb@snhu.edu indicating approval or
denial of your proposal
 Some
proposals may be approved with
comments. Comments must be
addressed before continuing research.
The IRB Process Overview
1) Research
Question
2) Research Advisor
3) Pre-Research
4)IRB Review Packet
5) Send as a PDF or
DOC to IRB@snhu
6)Receipt of Packet
Acknowledgement
7) Review Level
Determined
8) Exempt or
Expedited-2 weeks
Full Review-4 weeks
9) Packet returned
with comments and
signatures
Do not interact with any participants until
your proposal is signed and returned.
If it is found that you have done this, your
research will not be sponsored by Southern
New Hampshire University.