The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is a committee that reviews and approves research involving human subjects to ensure ethical standards are met. Its primary role is to protect the rights, welfare, and safety of participants by evaluating research protocols for risks, benefits, and informed consent procedures.

How does an IRB apply to research?

In research studies involving human subjects, the IRB ensures that the research design adheres to ethical guidelines and minimizes potential risks to participants. Researchers must obtain IRB approval before collecting data to ensure their study meets ethical standards and protects participants' rights.

ORU Institutional Review Board (IRB)

The Institutional Review Board is a panel of ORU faculty (and sometimes administrators) who review all university research that involves human subjects. In submitting your IRB application, you are providing this review panel with details about your study so they can decide whether adequate safeguards are in place to avoid physical, psychological, or social harm to your participants.

The IRB process is mandated by federal regulations, and the same forms and procedures are used by institutions throughout the USA for all types of research. You must have IRB approval before you begin to gather data from your participants. Documented IRB approval is important legally and ethically, protecting the researchers and Oral Roberts University.

ORU IRB Application

As part of your IRB application process, your professor will request access to the IRB D2L shell for you. This D2L shell contains essential application information, training materials, and a quiz that you must pass with a score of 80%.

ATTENTION!
Included in your IRB training are the 5-lesson National Institutes of Health (NIH) Human Research Protection Foundational Training. To begin or preview these lessons, go to  Human Research Protection Foundational Training. Be sure to download and save the certificate for each completed lesson. You will need to upload the five (5) certificates to the IRB D2L dropbox as part of your application. Watch the videos in the training lessons, as they are very informative.
(Note: You may complete the lessons prior to getting access to the IRB D2L shell. Just remember to save the lesson certificates.)

Exemptions are allowed for research conducted in either established or commonly accepted educational settings that involve educational practices that do not carry the risk of impacting the student adversely as it relates to the student's opportunities to learn educational content. There should also not be a risk of adverse impact to the assessment of educators providing instruction.

See: opens new window45 CFR 46.104, Exempt research