Mount Holyoke College
Policy and procedures for the conduct of research involving human subjects
PROCEDURES: HOW TO APPLY
If a project
requires Board approval, obtain a copy of the Board proposal form by downloading
it from this site. Fill out
the Board review form and send it to the Board by campus mail (Office of
Sponsored Research, 104 Mary Lyon Hall) U.S. mail (50 College Street, South
Hadley,
MA 01075), or preferably as an e-mail attachment to the IRB. If a proposal is sent by e-mail attachment,
an original copy with required signature(s) must follow in the mail. Note that all student proposals must also be signed by a Faculty
Supervisor who attests that s/he has read and approves of the proposal. Researchers are strongly encouraged to submit
proposals as an e-mail attachment to expedite the review process. The Board will
acknowledge
receipt of all proposals.
Links to Required forms
Download an example of an informed consent
statement: (Note that these are samples only which do not cover every
potential proposal)
(written consent form) rtf
Format
(oral consent form )rtf
Format
Informed
consent
While most
proposals will require a process for
obtaining informed consent, in some cases, especially for projects that involve
deception, fully informed consent may not be practical. The Board may approve
a consent procedure that does not
include, or alters any or all of the elements of
informed
consent, if and only if:
The research involves no more than minimal
risk to the subjects;
The waiver or alteration of informed consent
will not adversely affect the
The research could not be carried out practicably
without the waiver or
When appropriate,
the subjects will be provided additional pertinent
Further information about the requirements for documenting informed consent is available through this link. Please consult with the Board if you need advice about specific requirements for obtaining informed consent orally or in writing.
Special
note on non-English speaking subjects
When subjects do not speak or understand English well, the researcher must prepare documents in the language that subjects can understand. The researcher must provide to the Institutional Review Board a copy of the document(s) in English, a copy in the language to be used, and a letter from an unbiased individual with expertise in the language (e.g., a Mount Holyoke College faculty member) indicating that the translated version is complete and contains the same information as the English version.
Special
note on research in foreign countries
When faculty, staff, or students conduct research with human subjects in a foreign country, there may be cultural differences that should be considered. Some of the differences are listed below.
Language: When documents must be translated into a language other than English, the researcher should provide a copy of the document in English, a copy in the language to be used, and a letter from an unbiased individual with expertise in the language (e.g., a Mount Holyoke College faculty member) indicating that the translated version is complete and contains the same information as the English version.
Minors: When subjects are younger than 18 years of age, researchers are required to get written parental permission. However, if local regulations are such that parental permission for research in a school setting would be inappropriate, the researcher must give the Board proof that this is inappropriate. For example, proof could be a letter saying that parental permission would be inappropriate from an authorized official in the country, or from a Mount Holyoke College faculty member who is familiar with the culture.
Audio/video
taping: When researchers
audio/video tape subjects, the Board requires a signed consent form. But in
some cultures, subjects would be reluctant to sign an official form. This
should be explained in the application, and the Board will consider alternative
means of documenting consent such as obtaining verbal consent on the tape.
Subjects must be informed of their rights, confidentiality, and all other
aspects of consent.