The IRB Submission process is completed online.
Proposals are submitted via Qualtrics Software, and all supporting documents can be uploaded directly during the submission process. Please see Timing of the IRB Review Process for submission deadlines.
Submission Forms
To preview the IRB submission form for New Proposals, click here. When you are ready to begin the submission process for a new proposal, go to the IRB Submission Form for New Proposals.
To preview the IRB submission form for previously IRB-Approved Protocols Requesting Continuing Review, click here. When you are ready to begin the submission process for continuing review, go to the IRB Submission Form for Continuing Review.
To preview the IRB submission form for previously IRB-Approved Protocols Requesting a Change to Protocol, click here. When you are ready to begin the submission process for change in protocol, go to the IRB Submission Form for a Change in Protocol.
Preparing Submission Materials
Before submitting your proposal, you need to determine the appropriate type of review:
Complete explanations of all three types of review can be found here.
During the online submission process you will be asked to include supporting documentation, including the following (if relevant to your proposal).
- Documentation that the PI and any individuals involved in the study have completed the required CITI Program training on the protection of human subjects.
- In general, IRB applications require current CITI certification for all study personnel who will: (1) have contact with human participants; (2) have access to the study data of individual participants; or (3) be involved in the design of materials (survey questions, etc.) presented to human participants during the study. The IRB application will ask you to upload PDFs of current (i.e., unexpired) CITI completion certificates. Please complete CITI Program’s online “Social-Behavioral-Educational (SBE) Basic” course prior to submitting your proposal to IRB. You can find instructions on how to access the course here. We also accept equivalent current certifications from other institutions.
- Prior approval of the same or similar research by the Lafayette IRB
- Prior approval of the same or similar research by another institution’s IRB. In general, research conducted at multiple institutions needs approval from only one IRB.
- Evidence of internal funding from Lafayette for the proposed research. If you are offering cash or gift card incentives to participants who are students or employees of the College, and you are using College-managed funds to do so, the Lafayette Finance Department requires that you report certain information to them for tax purposes. If you promise participant confidentiality and/or anonymity, report the number of participants who received the cash or gift cards, the amount of cash per participant or the amount per gift card, and a brief, general description of the study. If you are not promising confidentiality or anonymity, additional information is required. Please consult the Finance website or contact the Finance Department for details.
- Grant application(s) that include the proposed research
- For student investigators, a letter of support from the supervising faculty member. Faculty support letters must include an affirmation that the faculty supervisor has carefully reviewed the proposal to ensure that the proposed project fits the Code of Federal Regulations definition of research, that the student PIs have completed protection of human participants training, that the type of review requested is appropriate, that risks to participants have been considered, and that the informed consent document includes all necessary information.
- Letters of support or permission relevant to data collection from off campus sites
- A summary of the aims of the research and applicable previous work
- A summary of the research design
- A summary of the participant recruitment plan, including copies of any advertisements and/or recruitment e-mails
- Informed consent documents (ICD) (for help in creating an ICD, see the recently updated Lafayette College ICD Template, which reflects current rules regarding ICDs).
- In assessing potential risks to participants, be sure to consider provisions for mitigating the potential for COVID-19 transmission if you are conducting in-person research. This includes following the current on-campus rules and guidance (for masking, etc.) at the time of the research procedures for research conducted on-campus. For research conducted off-campus, local rules and guidance at the place of the research should be proactively consulted and followed. The IRB may request a detailed COVID mitigation plan for some projects.
- All materials and procedures
- Debriefing documents and procedures (for more information, see Information on Debriefing Statements)
- A summary of the data management plan