The Research Summary and Supporting Materials

The Research Summary should be a typed document written specifically for the review of the IRB. Grant applications and thesis. proposals are not an appropriate substitute. The Research Summary must be written in language entirely accessible to the lay person, without technical jargon, and must include the following information in numbered sections under the following headings:

1. The title of the research and the name of the principal investigator;
2. The research question or questions under investigation and the explanation or hypothesis that will be tested;
3. The methods that will be used to test the research hypothesis, including a copy of any questionnaires or surveys that will be administered;
4. An assessment of the benefits of the project, including its contribution to scientific knowledge and any direct benefits it may offer to the participants;
5. An assessment of the risks to participants and how they will be handled;
6. The nature of the participant group to be studied, including:
   1. how the participants will be chosen,
   2. how the participants will be recruited,
   3. whether or not the participants will be personally identified,
   4. what the participants will be told regarding the research and the character of their participation,
   5. whether or not the participants will be deceived and, if so, how they will be debriefed (include debriefing form)
7. How consent will be obtained and whether or not the participants will be given a copy of the consent form (include consent form);
8. The degree of sensitivity of the information to be gathered and, if participants are to be personally identified, the steps that will be taken to ensure confidentiality;
9. Copies of all relevant supporting materials, including surveys, questionnaires, consent forms, debriefing forms, and any other documents or materials to which the participants will be exposed.

The Research Summary, along with the Application for Review should be submitted to the Chair of the IRB (Marlene.Sandstrom@williams.edu x3659). If the principal investigator is a student, the Application for Review must be signed by a faculty sponsor.