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Do Oral History projects need IRB review?

Yes.  While Oral history projects do not need IRB approval, it is SIUE’s policy that investigators receive a Not Human Subjects Research (NHSR) determination from the IRB prior to engaging in oral history research.

ORP Compliance has a specially tailored Kuali template for Oral History projects.  If you are conducting an Oral History project, follow the steps below to submit a protocol to the IRB and receive a NHSR Determination:

  1. Open Kuali;
  2. Click on +New protocol and then Fill out the first page of background information. Then click Next.
  3. Click Yes to the first question.  For Oral history projects, you are using human subjects, so the first question would be yes.
  4. Click No to the second question (Are you conducting research).  Under the regulations, Oral history projects are excluded from the definition of research.
  5. That will then ask you to select from a list of reasons why you think your project is not research – Oral History is one of the options to select.
  6. Finally, the form will ask that you provide a brief narrative of your project.  This is so the IRB can confirm the project is Not Human Subject Research.
Then, Submit.  Not Human Subject Research determinations have an average turnaround of less than 1 week.