Policies and Procedures

The Institutional Review Board aims to provide clear information for following Bemidji State University policies and procedures regarding proposals and human subjects research.

Determining When You Need IRB Approval

To ensure compliance with federal regulations for the ethical treatment of human subjects, all researchers (faculty, staff or students) using or collecting information about human subjects to conduct research are required to have approval from the IRB before research is initiated.

Per code 45 CFR 46.102f and d:

• “Human subject means a living individual about whom an investigator (whether professional or student) conducting research obtains (1) Data through intervention or interaction with the individual or (2) Identifiable private information.”
• Research is defined as “a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.”

The IRB — not the investigator — is responsible for determining whether the research qualifies for exemption or approval. In general, if the researcher’s intent is to publicly present results (e.g. at a conference or through a scholarly publication), the researcher should obtain approval for the project prior to data collection.

Projects must be approved by the IRB regardless of the source of funds.

When IRB Approval is Not Required for Data Collection

The following activities typically do not require IRB approval unless intended for use in current/future research, publication or presentation:

• Collecting information for course and/or instructor evaluations
• Collecting information collected for student evaluations
• Collecting information for program improvement, evaluation or accreditation
• Collecting information for employee/staff evaluations

Remember, if this data collection will be used for a conference presentation or a scholarly publication, IRB approval must be obtained prior to conducting the research.

Researchers are encouraged to seek guidance from the IRB if they are unsure whether their project requires approval or not.

Consequences of Conducting Research Without IRB Approval

Any research conducted without prior approval from the Institutional Review Board will not be endorsed by Bemidji State University.

Review the full policies and procedures.