IRB Contact: Sandra Russell, Human Research Protection Program Manager
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is a peer-review committee charged with the responsibility of protecting the rights and welfare of humans involved in research. Ball State follows the ethical principles laid out by the Belmont Report (PDF). Ball State University's IRB subscribes to the "Common Rule" for the protection of human subjects found in 45 CFR 46.
The IRB reviews and approves all of Ball State's research protocols involving human subjects in order to ensure compliance with laws and national standards regarding the ethical treatment of human subjects. The researcher must attain IRB approval before conducting a study involving human subjects. Annual resubmission must be completed for projects of more than 12 months duration. IRB protocols are submitted using IRBNet.
Does My Project Require IRB Review?
If you are not sure whether your study needs IRB review or not, please submit the Human Subjects Research Determination form (MS Word) to our HRPP manager at Sandra Russell.
IRBNET WIZARD (SMART) APPLICATION
The Wizard application is an online data entry document wizard required for all new projects. It is found within IRBNet on the designer page. The Wizard Application form uses a logic-tree design that prompts researchers to enter information that is relevant to their specific study and needed to facilitate the IRB review process. For more information view the new New Submission Guide for Wizard Form and IRB Submission Checklist.
IRB Review Process and Levels of Review

There are three risk levels at which the IRB reviews research:
- Exempt (studies posing less than minimal risk)
- Expedited (studies posing minimal risk)
- Full Board (studies posing greater than minimal risk)
The amount of potential risk to participants and the participant population determine the type of review. The IRB at Ball State University is the only entity that can determine which kind of review is necessary for your research proposal.
If you have any questions, please contact Sena Lim, Human Research Protection Program Manager or Sandra Currie, Research Integrity Administrator.
Peer Mentoring and Training Information
Our graduate assistant (GA) offer one-on-one consultation regarding research proposals, including answering questions about writing a protocol, submitting through IRBNet, or any other issues that may come up throughout the submission process.
To set up a phone or in-person appointment with a GA, send us an e-mail at View Email or call our direct GA line at 765-285-5088.
The Office of Research Integrity's IRB is providing multiple workshops that will cover specialized topics regarding IRB submissions. To view the workshop schedule, click here. If you are interested in attending any of the virtual workshop sessions, please sign-up here.