Human Subjects Research (HSR) is a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge that involves human subjects, or an individual or individuals about whom an investigator is conducting research.
This informative video from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reviews Social and Behavioral Research studies and the impact they can have on human subjects who participate in them. It's good to look at this topic from the perspective of someone who might participate in a research study, because that way people who propose studies can better understand how to structure their research in an ethical way.
IRB stands for Institutional Review Board. To learn more about what an IRB is and what it does, watch the video (below) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Please note that IRB approval MUST BE SOUGHT AND OBTAINED BEFORE BEGINNING ANY RESEARCH ACTIVITY OR STUDY PROCEDURES, including:
The IRB CANNOT RETROACTIVELY APPROVE research activity.
The University of Iowa has its own Institutional Review Board (IRB) office.
CITI Training is not required to complete an HSRD form, but will be required to complete an exempt or IRB approval applications. If you're submitting an HSRD form, go ahead and complete the Student PI Training.
If you are doing a research study that involves individuals, the HSO and IRB must review your proposed study and say that a.) it does not require IRB approval b.) it requires an exempt application or c.) it requires a full IRB application.
You cannot do or start the study then ask for approval.
To start the process, complete the Human Subjects Research Determination Form that the IRB evaluators will use to determine your approval status.
Here are three examples of studies, either fabricated or real-life examples used with permission, that illustrate how the IRB process could or has been applied to School of Music research applications.
A student is planning their dissertation project, which will be an audio recording of repertoire by a living composer. There are few written resources about this composer, other than a scant Wikipedia entry, a few recording reviews, and a biography posted to the composer's website. The student would like to interview the composer about their life and work, with particular attention to the works they are recording for their project.
A researcher is interested in the attitudes of faculty, staff, and students in the School of Music concerning performance and study of music by composers from historically underrepresented groups, in particular those living and working today. They would like to recruit participants via email and administer the survey online. They would like to invite survey participants to be interviewed with a set of follow-up questions via an online video or audio call. The goal would be to present the data at conferences, to School faculty, staff, and students, and to publish an article of the findings.
The HSO office is located in the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, first floor (Suite 105).
Monday to Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
Saturday to Sunday: CLOSED
Phone: (319) 335-6564
Email: IRB Directory