Voluntariness begins with recruitment. Potential subjects must not feel that they have been coerced into participating, nor must they fear the loss of some benefit to which they are otherwise entitled if they choose not to participate (such as on-going support by a social agency).
Special care must be taken if the person doing the recruiting is a person who is in a position of authority (such as a teacher recruiting his or her own students) or makes decisions about the provision of services (such as a director of a training clinic). It is the investigator's responsibility to ensure that a person's decision to participate or not will have no other effect on an existing relationship.
Situations necessitating special consideration
The following recruitment situations need special consideration:
Using Classroom Participants
Students in University of Oregon classes are occasionally asked to participate in research. In such cases, the researcher should ask the instructor for permission to use class time to conduct a study. Because students in classrooms comprise a captive audience, care should be taken to respect their rights as subjects and as students.
If participation as a subject is part of the academic work of a student, it must not be a coercive requirement, and informed consent, if appropriate, must be obtained.
Undue Influence
When researchers are targeting their own students as potential participants, students may feel unable to decline participation or nervous about how their decision not to participate may impact their grades or relationship with their instructor or the university. This can create undue influence to participate in the research.
Researchers who wish to target their own students should provide the IRB with a plan for how they will minimize the potential for undue influence. For example, if it is possible for the researcher to have a research assistant or another person who is not in a position of authority over the students to help collect consent forms and hold on to those consent forms until after grades are due, that is one way undue influence may be minimized.
We also strongly suggest adding a statement to the consent form letting students know that their decision not to participate or to withdraw from the study will not impact their grades, relationship with the instructor or standing at the University.
Researchers targeting their own students should also provide the IRB with a conflict of interest (COI) form to explain how they will manage any potential conflict. See our Applications, Forms and Guidance website for the most recent copy of the COI form.
Alternate Means of Receiving Credit
Alternate means of receiving credit if a student chooses not to participate or chooses to withdraw during the course of the study should be provided.
To assure that students feel free to refuse to participate without concern that the evaluation of their classroom performance will be affected, the instructor should not be present during any research activities. Furthermore, the instructor should not be informed nor be aware of who participates.
Audio or Video Recording Class
When investigators wish to audio record or video record university classes, students have the right to refuse participation. State laws may also impact your activities. For more information, please refer to our website on audio recording, video recording and photography. Students should not be penalized by losing significant classroom instruction in the event they decide not to be recorded. The following procedures should be used:
- The investigator must notify students in advance that the class session will be recorded. We also suggest including a sign noting that recording is in session.
- Recording must be stopped long enough before the end of the class to allow students to ask questions without appearing on the recording.
- Students must be given a full explanation of the project after the recording and given the option to arrange for deletion of their participation on the recording.
- When students are minors, parent/guardian permission will be required unless waived by the IRB. This permission should also describe any recordings being done.
Other Considerations
Because research involves time that would otherwise be used for instructional activities, departments may wish to promulgate policies with regard to classroom research. The CPHS/IRB recognizes that participating in research and receiving information about the research may be pedagogically relevant.
Recruiting Clients of Social Service Agencies, Schools, and Other Institutions
No Direct Ask
The researcher shall not ask institutions to directly identify potential subjects for a research study. Rather, the investigator shall ask an intermediary (doctor, case worker, school administrator) to first approach potential subjects (or their guardians, as appropriate) and inform them about the research.
If a potential subject agrees to participate, the intermediary should provide her/him with the information necessary to contact the researcher, in such a way that the institution is unaware whether the subject chooses to participate in the research. The intermediary should not obtain consent from potential subjects.
Client Records
The researcher shall not ask institutions to release records or anecdotal information either for the purposes of identifying subjects, or for examination by the investigator, unless this information is public. An investigator wishing to examine records must first obtain permission of the subject via an intermediary.
If a potential subject agrees to release his or her records, the intermediary should provide the information necessary to contact the researcher. This provision does not apply to records with all identifiers removed.
File Permissions
Please note that approval or permission from participating institutions (e.g., schools, agencies) must be on file with Research Compliance Services prior to recruitment.
Advertising for Participants
For non-exempt studies, the IRB must review and approve all recruitment materials (e.g., emails, flyers, social media ads, radio/newspaper ads), and approve them before they are used. The research plan should also describe recruitment strategies that will be used (see the UO Research Plan Guidance).
If advertising for participants, investigators must follow these guidelines:
- Information must be clear and accurate. Be careful not to use language that could be misleading to subjects, especially when a study will involve vulnerable populations.
- Include the name and address of the investigator, the purpose of the research and eligibility criteria for participation as subjects, a clear description of any benefits and/or risks of participating, the affiliation of the researcher, the location of the research, and whom to contact for further information
- If a drug, device and/or novel procedure/product is being studied in the research and the impact of it is still being evaluated, no claim should be made as to its superiority, safety or effectiveness. Avoid terms such as treatment or therapy when referring to investigational products that are not known to cure, mitigate, treat or prevent their disease/condition (see definition of therapeutic misconception in the HSR Definitions)
- Avoid overemphasis on payments (e.g., not larger/bold font than other text, no details about payments without any context about what the study will entail and/or the time commitment needed for participation)
- A copy of all recruitment materials must be included in the Research Administration Portal (RAP) for all non-exempt studies.
Recruitment materials
Materials used to facilitate recruitment—such as emails, letters, scripts, advertisements, and brochures—will need to be developed. These materials should be submitted for IRB review for all non-exempt studies.
Recruitment materials should not be used prior to receiving IRB approval.
- Initial Review Applications – recruitment materials are required for submission with your application materials.
- Exempt Review Applications – recruitment materials should be developed for consistency of information provided to participants but are not required for submission.