Institutional Review Board Questionnaire
Department of Anthropology
Colby College
[this questionnaire is derived, with some modifications, from the Princeton University Institutional Review Panel Questionnaire]
The Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects (IRB) is charged by the College with the task of protecting the interests and rights of human subjects involved in Colby research. It strives to fulfill the charter in a way that minimizes interference with the autonomy, research objectives, and specific timetables of individual researchers yet complies with the law and College policies in this area. In its evaluation, the IRB must consider the risks to the subjects, the anticipated benefits to the subjects and others,
the importance of the knowledge that may reasonably be expected to result, and the informed consent process to be employed. The IRB approval may require changes in research protocol.
For additional information on anthropology and the IRB process, please consult the American Anthropological Association,
Please note that minors and people categorized as the institutionalized mentally disabled (individuals residing as patients in an institution who are mentally ill or retarded; emotionally disturbed; psychotic; or senile) are considered protected subjects, and will require additional safeguards. If you are conducting research with these populations, please include the necessary supplementary information, and consult your advisor.
1.The title of the proposed research.
If applicable, please list the agencies (College or other) that have been asked to fund this research.
2.Approximate dates for starting and ending this research project after it has been approved by the Panel.
3. The name of the Investigator(s), departmental address(es), e-mail address(es), fax number(s), and campus phone number(s). All applicants other than professors must list the name, departmental address, e-mail address of a faculty advisor.
4. State briefly the purpose of the intended research, specifying the problems addressed, what is to be learned, and identify the specific objectives of the research.
5.Describe in detail the procedures that will be used to achieve the objectives of the research project; include copies of the consent form, letters, survey forms, questionnaires or other applicable documentation.
6.Describe in detail the method of subject selection. Special attention should be paid to subject selection and affiliation when Colby students will not be used for the subject sample. Also include information about any compensation rates to subjects. Please be sure to report everything that the subject will be told about the study prior to participating in the research.
7.Do you plan to obtain signed or oral consent from all study participants? Please explain. If you plan to use a consent form, please attach a copy (standard adult consent forms follows this questionnaire).
[proposed standard response for oral consent:
My ethnographic fieldwork will involve conversational participant-observation. This method is driven by the interests of the participants and relies on the development of an open-ended, informal relationship between researcher and participants. The aim of this research method is to understand issues and relationships as a participant understands them.
In order for this approach to be effective, researchers treat participants as experts from whom they are learning. Introducing a consent form inhibits this process by giving the researcher a false appearance of authority and expertise, and by giving the research a false appearance of narrow precision. In this kind of research, consent forms have a tendency to undermine participants’ ability to direct conversation by positioning them as subjects to be studied rather than experts who are contributing to scholarship.
Introducing consent forms also tends to undermine the mutual trust which must be present in participant-observation. This approach is premised on the idea that participants are empowered to determine their level of comfort in revealing information and that they may cease to participate at any time. Clearly communicating this basic premise, I will make certain that each participant is fully aware of their right to discontinue participation in my research at any time.
Finally, confidentiality is an important value in this research. Consequently, I will be using pseudonyms in my field-notes and all other documentation; if consent forms were to be collected in this research, these forms would be the only documents linking named individuals to my study. Not having consent forms would provide an additional assurance both to my participants and myself concerning preservation of confidentiality.]
8.Does the proposed research involve deception, e.g., through provision of misinformation, withholding information, etc.? Explain why it is necessary to involve deception(s) in the research.
9.Provide a full account of the debriefing procedures to be followed, if appropriate. If you plan to debrief, please attach a copy of the written debriefing or the interview protocol.
10.Does participation by human subjects or informants place any group or class of individuals in physical, legal, social and/or psychological jeopardy? If so, how can the potential risk be assessed?
11.Does the research place individual subjects at risk? If so, please describe fully the ways in which the risk will be controlled.
12.In a few sentences, please address the benefits of the research, both to the participant and to society. The ethical review requires the IRP to balance how any possible risks that may be involved in the research, even though the risks may be minimal, are justified by the potential benefits resulting from the investigation.
13.Please note: Study material must be stored securely in location accessible only to members of the research team certified to work with human subjects. In addition, signed consent forms must be stored separately from completed questionnaires and other study materials.
Please describe what procedures will be used for secure storage of consent forms and the secure and separate storage of all other study materials. Who will have access to these materials?
14.In the event that outside agencies are involved (in data gathering, processing, and storage), how will the rights of the subjects be guaranteed by that agency?
STANDARD ADULT CONSENT FORM
Complete this form and submit it with your protocol.
TITLE OF RESEARCH: [Insert title of research here]
INVESTIGATOR: [Insert name of principal investigator here]
The following informed consent is required by Colby College for any person involved in a research study conducted by investigators at the University. This study has been approved by the College's Institutional Review Panel for Human Subjects.
You have:
A.Provided me with a detailed explanation of the procedures to be followed in the project, including an identification of those which are experimental.
[Insert description of the research here. To make it clear to the participants, use straightforward language: Just tell them what they will be asked to do. Put it in first-person from the participants’ perspective, because they are signing the document, e.g.: “I understand that I will be asked to complete a questionnaire concerning…. I will be paid….”]
B.Answered any questions that I have regarding the study.
I understand that:
A.My participation is voluntary, and I may withdraw my consent and discontinue participation in the project at any time. My refusal to participate will not result in any penalty.
B.By signing this agreement, I do not waive any legal rights or release Colby College, its agents, or you from liability for negligence.
I hereby give my consent to be the subject of your research.
______
Signature
______
Date
THIS INFORMATION MUST BE PROVIDED TO THE SUBJECT
1.TITLE OF RESEARCH: [Insert title of research here]
2.For answers to any questions you may have about this research, contact:
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
[Insert contact information for Principal Investigator(s) here]
3.For answers to any questions you may have about your rights as a research subject, contact: