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Irvine Valley College is committed to protecting the welfare, rights, and privacy of all persons who participate as subjects in research projects conducted under its auspices, and to ensuring that the subjects of such research are fully aware of their rights and of the protections available to them. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is charged with this task, and is guided in its work by the Federal Regulations on human subjects research adopted by seventeen federal agencies, and known as the Common Rule.

The five fundamental principles the IRB uses to guide research include:

  1. Respect for persons
  2. Beneficence
  3. Justice
  4. Fidelity and Responsibility
  5. Integrity

Steps to Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval:

  1. Submit the appropriate IVC IRB Application as indicated below. Review the application carefully to ensure that all sections are complete and that all required attachments are included (note: you will need to create an account and verify your email address prior to your first submission).

     

    You will be notified via if any documents are missing. Please refer to the Irvine Valley College's IRB Standard Operating Procedures (extracted here). Do not worry if you are uncertain about certain areas, the IRB will make the final call.

  2. Register for CITI training. Note, Irvine Valley College has a hosted site. Researchers must register, self-select, and complete the correct training. Incomplete training will not be considered for review beyond initial screening. This means your study will not be approved unless you complete the training. Please see the CITI Enrollment Guide for assistance.
  3. Wait for your protocol review #. Your study proposal will be assigned a protocol number. Save this for your records.
  4. Wait for information about your study and its level of review required from the IRB Chair. You may need to provide additional information to the IRB at any point in time. This includes before, during and after your study is: submitted, in process, approved, approved subject to restrictions, tabled, or disapproved.

For more information, please review the following documents:

IRB Submission Requirements

  1. Application for Approval of Human Participant Research (choose your application form below)

  2. Bio-sketch of Principal Investigator
  3. Local Sponsor Form (if applicable)
  4. IRB Approval from External College/University (if applicable)
  5. Participant Recruitment Documents (Letter, Email, Flyer, or any other)
  6. Participant Informed Consent Form(s)
  7. Research Instruments (surveys, questionnaires, interview protocol, etc.)
  8. Evidence of Completion of Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) for all participating researchers for the following courses:
    1. Human Subject Research
    2. Information Privacy and Security
    3. Responsible Conduct of Research

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

I believe my research project/proposal is exempt. Should I submit information to the IRB.

  • Yes. All research is subject to oversight of the IRB and will be stopped if IRB approval has not been obtained. Exempt research status is obtained after an IRB review and is the term used to label the risk to participants associated with the research (i.e. Exempt Review = Low Risk, Expedited Review = Moderate Risk, Full Review = High Risk).

My research is associate with a school project/course. Does this mean my research does not need IRB review.

  • This depends on the answers to several questions that are part of the Classroom Research Project checklist. Please complete the checklist and submit to the IRB for review.

I do not have a local sponsor to conduct research at IVC. Is a local sponsor required and how do I obtain one?

  • A local sponsor who is a full-time faculty or staff member (not on leave) is required for all research conducted at IVC. The role of the local sponsor is to be available on site and assist with recruitment efforts and address any issues that may arise. If you have no existing affiliation with IVC, our guidance is to reach out department faculty to identify a willing collaborator.

I am a student and my co-principal investigator (co-PI) is my faculty advisor, professor, etc. Do I need to submit their bio-sketch as part of the research application or my only own?

  • All PIs, co-PIs should submit their information as part of the application.

I am a student and my co-principal investigator (co-PI) is my faculty advisor, professor, etc. Do I need to submit their CITI training as part of the research application or only my own?

  • All PIs, co-PIs should submit their information as part of the application.