This page is dedicated to students and employees as well as anyone outside the Wor-Wic community who wish to conduct research based on Wor-Wic employees or students. Principal researchers conducting research involving human subjects must submit their research proposal materials along with all required forms to Wor-Wic’s IRB. A principal researcher is defined as any individual assuming full responsibility for a research project, including supervision of research assistants, staff, and students.
Researchers must submit the following documentation (as applicable):
- HSR application, which includes a detailed description of the research protocol (e.g., the rationale for the study, research questions, hypotheses, research methods, selection of subjects including sampling methods, potential benefits/risks, managing confidentiality, compensation of subjects, etc.)
- Copies of questionnaires/survey instruments, interview/focus group guides, or other materials that will be used with research participants over the course of the proposed study
- Evidence of completion of Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) on Protecting Human Research Participants.
- Informed consent forms and related materials
- Copy of the researcher’s institution or other IRB approvals
- Approval forms from applicable government agencies
- Approvals from a Wor-Wic supervisor if employed at the institution or a dean if a student. All IRB applications are ultimately approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
- All research proposals must be submitted to the chair of the IRB [Wor-Wic’s director of assessment].
Once the proposal is received, it will be processed under the following schedule. Changes would result in extending the processing time. To facilitate the review process, researchers are encouraged to use the following checklist prior to IRB application.
Once the application is reviewed by the IRB chair and/or board, the IRB chair forwards a recommendation for approval/disapproval to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for review and final approval.
All human subjects research activities that have been approved by the IRB through the exempt, expedited, or full board review process are subject to extended review until the research project is complete. The extended review will be performed at intervals appropriate to the degree of risk involved in the research, but not less than once a year. Researchers who have a project extending beyond that period of time must submit a request for renewal/continuation of research application, which can be found under the documents section of this page.
A researcher cannot implement any changes to an IRB-approved protocol without prior IRB approval, except where necessary to eliminate apparent immediate hazards to subjects. If after a research proposal is approved and the researcher desires to modify the research process in a way that differs from the approved protocol, the researcher must obtain approval from the IRB by submitting an IRB approval modification form, found under the IRB documents section of this page. Researchers may not implement any changes until approval has been received.
It is the principal researcher’s responsibility to inform the IRB chair of any adverse events that occur during the course of the study that impact study participants. Concerns related to research involving Wor-Wic’s faculty, students, or staff should be directed to the IRB chair.
Wor-Wic’s IRB documentation and forms:
HSR Quick Start
IRB Handbook
HSR Application
Annual Renewal
Negative Incident Report
Research Closure
Please submit all completed and signed forms to
irb@worwic.edu