Information for Research Study Participants

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is the administrative body that supports, facilitates, and promotes the ethical conduct of research involving human participants at Farmingdale State College-SUNY (FSC). The mission of the IRB is to protect the rights and welfare of human participants.

The IRB is comprised of college faculty, administrators, scientists, non-scientists, and community members. The IRB must review and approve research involving human participants prior to its initiation. 

A human participant is a living person who takes part in a study or experiment. Researchers collect information from or about them to help answer a question. At FSC, individuals who are considering participation in a research study are encouraged to learn about the research process and their rights as research volunteers.

Before deciding to voluntarily participate in a research study, it is important that you are provided with information about the study. At FSC, before any research activities commence, all potential participants must be presented with written information about the study, including, but not limited to, the purpose of the research, what participation will entail, possible risks and benefits to participation, and contact information if participants have any questions or concerns after participating. Please read this information carefully. You may be requested to sign this form to confirm you consent to participate in the research. For some studies, a member of the research team may also verbally provide you with additional information concerning your participation. If your participation is long-term, you may receive updated information from the researcher concerning initial findings, risks, benefits, etc. Please note that if you are not presented with written information prior to participation, most likely the study has not been reviewed and approved by FSC’s IRB.

Before you participate in a research study, ask the researcher any questions that you may have. You should only participate in a research study if all of your questions have been answered to your satisfaction.

Benefits: There may or may not be a direct benefit to you for participating in a research study. Any possible benefits will be stated in the written information provided to you before you agree to participate. Although you may not receive any direct benefits from participating in a study, your participation may result in information that will add to the knowledge of a topic and could help others in the future.

Risks: All research entails some risk that is similar to that encountered in everyday life. Many research studies conducted at FSC do not pose any potential risks to participants beyond what would be expected in everyday life. However, before agreeing to participate in a research study, you should refer to the written information provided to you by the researcher to learn about any potential risks associated with that specific research study. You are encouraged to discuss potential risks with a trusted family member, friend, or, in some cases, a health professional before agreeing to participate in a study. Additionally, it is important to understand that the risks/side effects of the research may not be fully known initially; however, the research staff is obligated to tell you about any new risks discovered for the duration of your participation in the study.

If extra credit in an FSC course is offered as an incentive for participation, a comparable alternative to participating in the research study (e.g., a literature review assignment) must be offered to you; there must be no penalty or undue burden for choosing the alternative.

Please note that research participation is voluntary. You are not obligated to participate in a research study even if your course instructor is the researcher. Your standing in a course should not be affected by your decision to participate or not participate in a research study.

Who has access to information collected from you could vary widely depending on the specific study. It is important to read the information provided to you about who will have access to your data before you decide to participate. Keep in mind that even data that is being collected confidentially (i.e., where participants’ identities will not be revealed during dissemination of the study findings or be released to other researchers) could potentially be accessed by regulatory/oversight bodies such as the IRB, government agencies, funding agencies, or as required through legal process.

Information collected from you could be collected and stored anonymously; your personally identifiable information (i.e. your name, RAM ID number, etc.) may also be linked to it. The manner that your information will be collected, stored, shared, and disseminated will be included in the information provided to you before you agree to participate in a research study.  

If you are currently enrolled in a research study, you may reach out to the Principal Investigator of the study with any questions. Their contact information will be included in the written information provided to you before you begin your participation in the study.  

If you would prefer not to contact the researcher, you may also contact the Office of the Institutional Review Board directly if you have a question, concern, or complaint about a study.

Office: Whitman Hall, Room 0018 (lower level)
Telephone: 934-420-2687
E-Mail: IRB@farmingdale.edu

Complaint reports are confidential (unless required as part of a legal process), and all concerns will be documented and investigated.   

If you prefer to contact the IRB anonymously, please click the button below. Please note that anonymous reports must include sufficient detail for an investigation to be completed.

ANONYMOUS COMPLAINT FORM