Human Subject Protocol

Protecting Human Subjects in Undergraduate Research

Northwestern University encourages responsible research investigation by faculty, staff and students. The policies and procedures of Northwestern University for the protection of human subjects have been established to protect the rights and welfare of human subjects" (OPRS statement, p. 1). All proposed research projects conducted by faculty, staff, graduate students and undergraduate students must be reviewed by an independent standing committee known as an Institutional Review Board (IRB). This committee, or panel, is responsible for reviewing all research involving human subjects and it is charged with overseeing institutional compliance with all federal guidelines and regulations regarding research with human subjects. Independent research conducted by a student for his/her senior thesis that involves work with human subjects must receive approval from the NU-IRB before the research can begin. Information about the forms and procedures that need to be followed to secure this approval is available at: http://www.northwestern.edu/research/OPRS/oprs-index.html. Or you may go the the University site index and look up "Office for the Protection of Research Subjects."

There are a number of important questions that need to be asked and answered about how you will protect the rights and identities of your research informants and insure that your project "does no harm." Your first step in thinking through these issues should be to talk to your adviser about your project. Once you have decided on the purpose/goals of your project, the methods you will use for conducting your research, the potential risks or benefits (if there are any) of your research for your informants, ways that you will explain your project to informants, and how you can insure that the information you collect will be confidential---you will be ready to prepare the forms required by the IRB. Please contact your adviser or Helen B. Schwartzman (hsjsls@northwestern.edu ) if you have additional questions about this process