Classroom Research

In most cases, class projects involving human participants are not intended to contribute to generalizable knowledge and, therefore, do not need to be reviewed by the IRB. However...

IRB approval should be obtained using the IRB Application if

Personal information (e.g., opinions, behaviors, beliefs, feelings, etc.) will be collected from a human participant, regardless of the sensitivity of the data or if data will be collected through interaction,

and

The results of the classroom research project will contribute to generalizable knowledge and be shared publicly beyond the classroom (e.g., by publishing — including master’s theses; loading to a cloud or online database such as an e-portfolio; presenting outside the class; posting on social media or LinkedIn; poster presentations).

IRB review and approval are not required for human subjects classroom research in which the results stay within the classroom and are not presented or made available anywhere else. Even if IRB approval is not necessary, the research participants should be protected and treated with respect.

Students who plan to collect data from human subjects for their research project should contact the IRB Office (IRB@jcu.edu) BEFORE they begin their project. This applies to students in Communications, Exercise Science, Sociology, Political Science, and Business, among others. Some student research will require IRB review; others will not. It depends!

All students taking Research Methods in Psychology (PS301 or PS401) or Independent Research in Psychology must submit applications to the IRB to have their research projects reviewed and approved.

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Office of Sponsored Research

Classroom Research