Institutional Review Board

What is the Institutional Review Board?

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Knox College is responsible for overseeing all research at Knox College that involves the use of human subjects. The ultimate goal of the IRB is to safeguard the well-being of individuals who participate in research conducted by Knox College and/or its faculty, staff, and students and to ensure that research occurring at Knox College meets accepted ethical standards. The Knox IRB also reviews projects conducted by outside researchers who wish to collect data from members of the Knox College community.

For more detailed information, please view the Knox College Institutional Review Board policy, and application. Project amendments, reports of adverse events, and continuing review reports can be submitted via this form.

Most new submissions are evaluated within seven days. Studies involving vulnerable populations, elevated risk, or that do not qualify for expedited review may require longer for review. Please plan to allow for sufficient time for IRB review prior to beginning your research.

Meet the Members of the Institutional Review Board

Andy Hertel (co-chair) (first reader, quantitative)

Jonah Rubin (co-chair) (first reader, qualitative)

Janet Kirkley

Andy Civettini

Esther Penick

Training

Certain courses (e.g., PSYC 282, ANSO 301) provide training to students in the ethical conduct of research with human subjects. Additional training is available through the CITI Program or Health and Human Services Office for Human Research Protection.

The CITI program operates out of the Vovis Center for Research and Advanced Study.  The College has an annual subscription that allows for unlimited uses of each module. First time users will need to register under Knox College. Complete the  module for "Social and Behavioral Research Investigators” as well as the module on the Responsible  Conduct of Research in the academic area in which they are conducting research.

1. Register at the site. The first time you go to this site, on the right hand side of the page, click Register.
2. Select Knox as your Organizational Affiliation.
3. The next screen will ask for your name and email address. Select Continue to progress through the screens.
4. Once registration is complete, subsequent logins can be done through a username and password on the main CITI site.

Some Questions Students May Have about CITI Training

• Which courses should I take?
  Choose the academic area most closely related to the research you will conduct. Check with your faculty who can select the most appropriate module(s) to take. If students are doing research that involves human subjects, they should complete the module for “Social and Behavioral Research Investigators.” In addition, all students required to complete CITI Training must complete the module on the “Responsible Conduct of Research” in the academic area in which they are conducting research.
• What is my “Role in Research?”
  For students undertaking independent research, scholarship, or creative work, check: “Principle Investigator.”