PSYCHOLOGY LOCAL REVIEW BOARD
Chair: David Allbritton (2011-2014)
The Psychology LRB reviews all research conducted in the psychology department for scientific merit and protection of human subjects, as the first step in obtaining IRB approval. All proposals except continuing review applications for projects already approved by the DePaul IRB must be submitted to the LRB if the LRB is in session. (During the summer, expedited proposals and claims of exemption can be submitted directly to the IRB.) Only continuing review proposals should be submitted directly to the IRB (except when the LRB is not in session).
The Psychology LRB accepts proposals from Sept. 1 to Nov. 15, and from Jan. 1 to June 1. During the summer months (June 1 to Aug. 31), proposals should be submitted directly to the IRB for review. Proposals submitted to the LRB after Nov. 15 will begin the LRB review process in January. If your project is particularly urgent, you may instead petition the IRB directly for review between Nov. 15 and Jan. 1. If your project will require full-board review, please see the IRB web pages for meeting dates and deadlines.
Please follow the instructions below carefully (being sure to include the proper LRB and IRB forms and submitting only electronic copies of all materials, for example) so that your application will not be delayed.
LRB review typically takes 1 to 3 weeks (not including the time it may take you to do any required revisions). After LRB review is completed, your application will then go to the IRB for exempt, expedited or full review. Expedited IRB review and IRB review of claims of exemption typically take 10 to 15 business days. Full IRB review occurs only at scheduled meetings of the full IRB (see the IRB web page for details and dates). Please plan your applications accordingly.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR RESEARCHERS
This page is intended to help guide psychology researchers and instructors through the IRB process. It is not a substitute for the DePaul IRB web pages, however, which should be considered the authoritative source for information about IRB procedures and policies. IRB forms mentioned on this page can be found on the IRB web page. LRB forms are available from the links in this document.
STEPS FOR OBTAINING IRB APPROVAL:
1. Determine whether IRB approval is required.
Consult the IRB web page to determine whether your project constitutes “research.” All research activities require IRB review, even activities that qualify for exempt status (because the IRB must determine that they are exempt).
Some course activities meet the definition of research and therefore require review. Consult the IRB web page.
2. Complete the appropriate forms and gather the required materials. Failure to include any of the required items may delay your application. Choose one of the four following options. (Consult the IRB web page to determine whether your study qualifies for expedited review or exemption rather than full review.) All items should be submitted by email; no hard copies should be submitted to the LRB.
Full Review
- LRB Cover Sheet (Word document)
- IRB Application Template from IRB web page
- Consent form(s) – select and complete the appropriate template or templates from the IRB web page.
- Copies of all experimental materials, surveys, etc.
- An informational feedback sheet (debriefing information given to participants after the study), if required
Required if deception is used
Required for all projects with participants from the Intro Psych subject pool - Should include a brief description of the purpose of the study, 2 references for students who would like more information on the topic, and contact information for the experimenter.
Expedited Review
- LRB Cover Sheet (Word document)
- IRB Application Template from IRB web page
- Consent form(s) – select and complete the appropriate template or templates from the IRB web page.
- Copies of all experimental materials, surveys, etc.
- An informational feedback (debriefing) sheet, if required (see above for requirements)
Claim of Exemption
- LRB Cover Sheet (Word document)
- Claim of Exemption Form from IRB web page
- Study materials (surveys, "Information sheet for exempt protocols" [instead of a consent form], stimuli, etc.) - if new data is being collected; not required for projects involving only analysis of existing data.
- An informational feedback (debriefing) sheet, if required (see above for requirements)
Continuing Review Application (for renewals and changes to projects currently approved by DePaul IRB)
Continuing Review Application Template from IRB web page (submit directly to the IRB, not to the LRB)
3. Submit all forms and materials to the Psychology LRB by email to the chair of the LRB. Be sure to include the words "LRB Application" in the subject heading of your email. Do not submit any hard copies; you will send the signed hard copy of your IRB application form to the IRB directly after LRB review is completed. Use descriptive file names for all email attachments so that reviewers can easily tell which document is which, and please clearly label all measures. If possible, please paste the IRB form, all measures, consent forms, training certificates, and other documents into a single Word document to make things easier for reviewers. (It helps to keep the LRB cover sheet as a separate document, however.)
The LRB accepts applications from Sept. 1 to Nov. 15, and from Jan. 1 to June 1. During the summer months, you may submit your proposal directly to the IRB instead.
4. After review by the LRB, you will receive a memo from the LRB chair with suggested changes and modifications to the protocol. Please email the LRB chair if you do not receive a feedback memo from the LRB within 2 weeks.
5. Follow the instructions in the LRB feedback memo about making changes in your protocol and/or writing a memo responding to the LRB’s comments, and about where to send your revised application next. If you made changes, the response memo should outline exactly what changes you made to the original application, clearly identifying the section where each change was made. Make sure you send a hard copy of the "IRB protocol application" signed by both the principal investigator and faculty sponsor directly to the IRB (not to the LRB).
6. Once the LRB process is complete and your proposal has been sent on to the IRB, you should receive a response from the IRB within 4 weeks (probably sooner for expedited and exempt protocols).
7. After receiving approval, check the continuing review procedures on the IRB web page to determine exactly the sorts of records that must be kept in order to meet the requirements of IRB approval.
Required Training for Researchers: DePaul University requires that all individuals engaged in research on humans complete an on-line training program in the protection of human subjects (linked from the DePaul IRB web page) and submit a copy of the training certificate to the IRB. If you do not already have a certificate on file with the IRB you should include one with your IRB application. A certificate is also required to be placed on file with the IRB for each person who works on the project and has contact with participants.