Research with human participants – systematic collection of personal or private information from people – can be done in virtually any discipline. Much of the time, research that Warren Wilson College students, faculty, or staff conduct is fairly benign, and the IRB will review it quickly. Sometimes, though, research entails enough risk, or confidentiality is so important, that the IRB must ensure that you include adequate protections. The IRB will evaluate your research plans to make sure that nothing you intend to do is unjustifiably dangerous to your participants and that their rights to participate (or to decline) are respected. Sometimes the IRB will recommend changes to your procedures to better protect participants.
For more information, please see the following pages: