Does this Thesis/Project activity involve human subjects research and therefore require IRB notification/review?
For an activity to be considered human subjects research it must be all of the following:
- A systematic investigation
- Designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge
- Involve human subjects or their personally identifiable information
Please answer the following questions about the thesis or project research proposal.
Is the activity part of a systematic investigation?
For example: Is it part of a planned and structured research investigation? Or, are you testing a hypothesis or theory?
Is the information you are gathering designed to contribute to generalizable knowledge?
For example: Is it possible that the knowledge that you develop could be applied universally or to another domain or another population? Or, is it possible that another researcher be interested advancing your research? Or would another researcher be interested in replicating your research with another population?
a. Does this activity involve intervention or interaction with individuals?
For example: Does this activity involve surveys, interviews, online interaction, experiments, audio/video recordings, or equipment testing involving subjects or
b. Is the data you are gathering individually identifiable?
For example, can the identity of the subjects be readily ascertained by the investigator?
In order for a project to be considered human subjects research, question 1 and 2 and at least one part of question 3 must be answered in the affirmative, in which case it may require review and approval by the IRB before the research may commence. If you think the attached protocol may involve human subjects research or if there is any doubt about whether it involves human subjects research please contact the IRB Chair CAPT J. K. Schmidt, MSC, USN, 831-656-3864, jkschmid <at> nps.edu or the IRB Administrator Ms. Rikki Panis, 831-656-2998, rpanisa <at> nps.edu, or E-mail the IRB mailbox at: irb <at> nps.edu.
For more information about the IRB visit the IRB website at: http://www.nps.edu/Research/IRB.htm .