Institutional Review Board

Getting approval from the IRB can be nerve-wracking! Many universities require students to obtain approval from the Institutional Review Board for their dissertation proposals – typically constituting Chapters 1 through 3 – before data collections can occur. Even students who wish to utilize only secondary data are usually required to obtain IRB approval. ARC’s IRB preparation and coaching services are designed to help you through the IRB process efficiently and stress-free. Our assistance includes comprehensive support for all written deliverables, including the IRB application and its supplements, and personalized coaching to meet your individual project’s needs. We can help you to get your study quickly approved so that you can finally start collecting data!

For your IRB application to be successful, it is important to clearly describe the connection between your Research Methodology and proposed data collections process. In addition, your Data Analysis plan must be presented in great detail. Importantly, your IRB application needs to include a discussion of the ethical considerations of your study, with an explanation of how you will ensure that your research is conducted properly. Especially if your study focuses on a vulnerable population such as PTSD veterans or children, your IRB application must discuss how the benefits of your study – to its participants, relevant institutions, and general stakeholders – outweigh the potential for harm.

Depending on the nature of your study, supplements to your IRB application may include descriptions of interview or focus group protocols, completed informed consent forms or site permission letters, and proposed questionnaires for online or in-person surveys. Studies that utilize only secondary data are simpler in this regard and typically require as a supplement only a completed IRB exemption form.

ARC provides personalized support and coaching for all aspects of the IRB process. Our IRB portfolio services include completion of the application itself along with all required supplements. Even if you are struggling to finalize the details of your data collections process or require additional permissions, ARC can help. When it comes to IRB approval, we’ve got you covered!