Early Childhood Education Commons^™

Introduction To The Process Of The Institutional Review Board (Irb) For Research With Human Subjects, Elizabeth J. Sandell, Patricia M. Hargrove, Anne Blackhurst

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

During the past SO years, law-makers and researchers in the United States have sought legal and procedural methods to reduce risks and harms to research subjects. An important process has been the creation of IRBs at institutions of higher education. The purpose of laws and rules about research review are to:

• Safeguard the rights and welfare of human subjects in research and related activities.

• Assist faculty to avoid the possibility of unknowingly committing unethical acts.

This article describes three principles of conducting research with human subjects, steps in applying for IRB approval, three levels of research that require !RB review, …