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The Institutional Review Board must review ALL research involving human participants. This means all research involving human participants conducted by Dominican University of California undergraduate and graduate students under the supervision of Dominican faculty, by graduate students from other institutions using Dominican participants, or by Dominican faculty. Students in Psychology, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, and Education generally submit research proposals. However, faculty supervising senior projects in other disciplines should note that project proposals from their students are subject to review whenever the project involves direct contact with humans, as, for example, research involving oral histories. Proposals must be submitted to and approved by the IRBPHP before the student can conduct the research or project.
The over-riding issue, regardless of the scope of the project, is review of potential areas of ethical concern, particularly anonymity, confidentiality, and freedom from coercion to participate. While it is true that some research–for example anonymous surveys are considered “exempt”, the IRB must make that “exempt” judgment after considering the parameters of the project under review.
3.1. Course Instructors
3.1. Course Instructors
Faculty members who teach courses that require students to conduct research with human participants as a part of the activities of the course must act as an extension of the IRBPHP and insure that the research is used only for the requirements of the course and will not form the foundation of any further or future study. Any instructor overseeing a student course project involving human participation should review the following with the student before the project is underway:
Brief description of the project: does the project involve sensitive areas of human behavior or put the participant(s) at physical or psychological risk?
Participant anonymity: how do the participants’ identities remain unknown to the researcher, the instructor, and other students in the class?
Confidentiality: how will researchers ensure confidentiality?
In addition the instructor must insure that risk to human participants is minimized, participants are protected, and students act in an ethical manner at all times. Please see section 2.1.1 on types of classroom research for clarification of the need for IRB review of classroom projects using human participants.
Any time an instructor has concerns regarding the interpretation and/or application of ethical standards in research, the instructor should consult a member of the IRBPHP.
3.2. Faculty Advisors
3.2. Faculty Advisors
It is expected that faculty advisors supervising undergraduate or graduate students conducting research involving human participants will educate the student on the ethical principles and protocols required by such research. The advisor must be active in development of research protocols that safeguard the rights of human participants and are legitimate and appropriate scientific methods of inquiry. The IRBPHP is not responsible for editing research protocol and expects proposals to come for approval after the faculty advisor has approved research methodologies. Ultimately any harm that results to a human participant as a result of a research project conducted by a Dominican student is the responsibility of the student’s faculty advisor. The signature of the faculty advisor on the application for IRBPHP approval indicates s/he has carefully read the proposal and is aware of the procedures and protocol used in the research to safeguard the rights of human participants.
3.3. Researchers
3.3. Researchers
It is expected that research scientists are familiar with the federal regulations that govern their particular area of research involving human participants. The principle investigator is responsible for any harm to human participants that arise as a result of the research (unless the principle investigator is a student, see above under faculty advisor). It is the responsibility of the principle investigator to ensure that all research is conducted in an ethical manner and that the human participants are treated so as to minimize harm and safeguard their rights.
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