Students as Research Participants
Students are often used as participants in research studies, by University student, faculty, and staff researchers as well as researchers from other universities and organizations. Because of their unique position, University policy addresses several issues pertaining to the use of students in research projects.
Types of Activities Covered by this Section:
Some course work involves research-type activities that serve an entirely pedagogical purpose. For example, professors may have students administer surveys or psychological instruments to each other in class so that they can practice interviewing techniques. These activities are NOT considered research (as defined by Federal regulations or this policy) and do not require IRB review. Projects in which students include other students in studies that are not designed for use beyond a course are not considered research as defined by federal regulations or this policy (i.e., results are not shared outside the classroom and data do not contribute to “generalizable knowledge”)(e.g., administering an anonymous survey to students in the dining hall regarding food service, the data from which is only used in the pertinent class). These studies may, however, require review and approval by other parts of the University administration. It is the investigator’s/course instructor’s responsibility to determine what policies and regulations apply to their situation.
Research involving normal educational practices typically falls under an exempt review category (see Form B) under 45 CFR 46.101(b)(1) and must be submitted to the IRB for exemption certification. Informed consent procedures must be followed, though. In many such cases, students cannot opt out of participation in the intervention, because the intervention may be the pedagogical techniques routinely used in the class. In such studies, the instructor should provide information on the research at the beginning of the course. This information should offer the student the option to refuse to have his or her information (e.g., grades) included in the study. If the study is conducted at another school (e.g., student teaching assignment), informed consent must be obtained in accordance with the rules of that school, as well. In these studies, the informed consent must include a contact person to address questions regarding the study who is not the instructor or graduate assistant assigned to the course.
Research that is exempt under 45 CFR 46.101(b)(2) and (3) and all non-exempt research must follow the recruitment and protection policies set forth in this section.
Awarding Credit for Research Participation
Researchers may award course credit or extra credit for participation in research if and only if another opportunity to earn the same amount of credit is available to students who decline to participate. The amount of work required to receive the credit must be similar to that required for participation in the study. For example, if the study consists of completion of an approximately 30-minute survey, then the extra credit for non-participants should require a task that takes about the same length of time.
The informed consent process must explicitly state how much extra credit is to be awarded and at what point. Informed consent must indicate how or whether extra credit will be awarded if the student withdraws from the study before completion. The University generally favors awarding extra credit if a student withdraws, unless the withdrawal is immediate (e.g., before the intervention or experiment begins) or unless there is ample evidence of bad faith on the part of the student. If the student disputes awarding of credit in an approved study, he or she may appeal to the department Chairperson, whose decision is final. If the department has a different policy regarding handling of disputes over the awarding of credit for research project participation, then the University’s policy takes precedence.
Recruitment of Students for Research Studies
This section discusses three distinct groups of students – a PI’s current students, other University students, and students at other schools who are participants in University studies.
University policy regarding protection of human participants must be followed with all students, whether they are University students or students at another school. Additional protections are required when the potential research participants are a PI’s current students. A PI’s current students include those at University or at any other location(s) where the person teaches under the auspices of the University (e.g., student teaching, prison-based courses).
The University does not normally allow students to participate in a research study conducted by a PI from whom they are currently taking classes except under the exemption categories [45 CFR 46.101(b)(1)]. This practice is used to minimize any possible explicit or implicit coercion, and maximize the possibility of having true informed consent, without duress. If the nature of the study or other circumstances makes it impossible to conduct the study without using one’s own students, the IRB may consider exceptions on an individual basis.
The preferred method is to have data collected by an independent third party (e.g., colleague in own or other department), in such a way that the instructor does not know the identity of the participants and does not have access to identifiable data until final course grades have been assigned and entered. If data are collected in the classroom, the instructor shall not be present. The third party cannot be a graduate assistant assigned to the course, but may be a graduate assistant who works on the study. This method should be used wherever feasible, even if the information from the students is anonymous (e.g., anonymous self-administered survey).
The University discourages situations that allow a student to enter the faculty researcher’s class while that student is participating in the faculty member’s research project. While this may not be avoidable (e.g., due to scheduling of courses in a student’s major), special care must be taken to follow the rules discussed above.