Any US research involving human subjects requires IRB review before data collection begins, even where the study qualifies as exempt — exempt is a determination the board makes, not one you make yourself. Review takes two to eight weeks depending on category, and data collected before approval generally cannot be used.
The Three Review Categories
- Exempt. Minimal risk in defined categories — anonymous surveys of adults, educational research in normal settings, analysis of existing de-identified data. Still requires submission and a determination letter.
- Expedited. Minimal risk but involving identifiable data, recordings, or minor interventions. Reviewed by a subcommittee.
- Full board. Greater than minimal risk, or vulnerable populations — minors, prisoners, pregnant people, adults with impaired capacity. Reviewed at a convened meeting, so timing follows the board's calendar.
The costliest misunderstanding: "my study is exempt so I don't need IRB." Exempt is a category the IRB assigns after reviewing your submission. Collecting first and applying later usually means the data cannot be used, and journals will not publish it.
Complete Your Training First
Nearly every US institution requires CITI Program training before you may submit. It takes several hours and the certificate must be current. Do it during your coursework rather than when the proposal is ready.
What the Application Asks
- Purpose and design in plain language a non-specialist reviewer can follow.
- Recruitment. How you find participants, and the exact text of any recruitment email, flyer or post.
- Informed consent. The full document, not a description of it.
- Risks and benefits, including psychological and reputational risk, not only physical.
- Data security. Where data lives, who accesses it, how it is de-identified, retention and destruction.
- Compensation, and why it is not coercive.
What Causes Most Revisions
- Consent forms above the required reading level. Many boards specify 8th grade; academic phrasing routinely fails this.
- No withdrawal procedure. State how someone withdraws and the point after which data cannot be removed.
- Vague data security. "Stored securely" is not an answer. Name the encrypted, institution-provided location.
- Recruitment text missing. Boards review the actual wording participants will see.
- Power relationships unaddressed — recruiting your own students or direct reports needs explicit mitigation.
Timing It Into Your Program
Submit as soon as your proposal defense is passed and the design is stable. Exempt determinations can return in one to two weeks; full board review depends on meeting dates and can take six to eight. Amendments after approval require their own review, so settle the instrument before submitting rather than iterating through the board.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need IRB approval for an anonymous survey?
Yes, you still need to submit. Anonymous surveys of adults on non-sensitive topics usually qualify as exempt, but exempt is a determination the IRB makes after reviewing your application, not one you can make yourself.
How long does IRB review take?
Exempt determinations often return in one to two weeks, expedited review in two to four, and full board review six to eight or longer because it depends on the board’s meeting calendar. Submit as soon as your design is stable.
Can I use data collected before IRB approval?
Generally no. Data gathered before approval cannot normally be used in your dissertation and will not be accepted by journals. In most cases the collection has to be repeated after approval is granted.
What is CITI training?
A standard online research ethics course that nearly every US institution requires before you may submit an IRB application. It takes several hours and the certificate must be current at the time of submission, so complete it during coursework.
Want This Checked Before You Submit?
Our tutors review your draft against your own rubric and explain what to change and why — used by 45,000+ students across the UK, USA, Canada and Australia.