Getting Started

• Contact and connect with a faculty member in your area of study
• Tips from Student Success Center: Sample Email to facutly about UG research pdf  and how to prepare for a meeting with faculty about UG research pdf
• Secure a faculty member to serve as your mentor
• Seek out peers who are interested in working with you
• Take time to explore research opportunities and complete the application process (learn more about OU UReCA opportunities here)
• Know that a project might change trajectory as you explore and learn more about a specific topic
• Focus on one project at a time
• Contact the UReCA office for guidance

• An Institutional Review Board (IRB) is an essential body in research involving human participants. The IRB has a crucial responsibility to review, approve, and oversee research to ensure that it meets specific ethical standards and regulatory requirements
• Researchers must submit their projects for IRB review before beginning any research involving human subjects. The IRB assesses the project's ethical considerations, informed consent processes, risk levels, and participant protections Visit OU's IRB website
• Submit an application OU iRIS
• If you have questions email iris@ouhsc.edu

 Identifying Involvement of human participants:

How can one discern the involvement of human participants in research? Human participants refer to living individuals contributing data through interactive or interventional means, or from whom identifiable private information is obtained for research purposes.

Does your research involve engagement with participants or utilization of data traceable to specific individuals?

Examples may encompass individuals completing surveys, partaking in interviews, or being observed for behavioral patterns in various contexts such as educational settings.

Decision Guide:

No: IRB approval isn’t mandated for your project.

Yes: It is advisable to seek IRB review as it likely applies to your research involving human participants.