Do projects conducted by NIU students need IRB review?
It depends on whether the student project is intended to be an educational exercise or a project that truly fits the definitions of research with human subjects (see #2 above and refer to the Screening Form). Educational exercises do not need IRB review if the data collection takes place inside the classroom and the information will not be shared outside the class. At the request of the instructor, the IRB may review educational exercises if the project involves a risky or sensitive topic and/or data will be gathered outside of the classroom, but IRB review of such projects is not required. IRB review is definitely needed, prior to the start of data collection, for theses and dissertations and for other projects for which the results will be disseminated in some way outside the classroom (for example, in a publication or at a professional conference). In certain circumstances, a project that starts out as an educational exercise/class project (that does not need prospective IRB review
