# IRB for User Studies with Games and Video

An institutional review board (IRB) is a committee reviewing research
with human subjects to ensure it is ethical, protecting the rights and
welfare for the participants. If we ever want to publish the results
(even in a tech report, MQP or thesis), there must be IRB oversight.

The submission process is all online via the InfoEd portal. A Google
search for "IRB WPI" will get you to the right page.

For the application, go to the WPI IRB exemption for a checklist:
<https://tinyurl.com/u9a32zm>. Fill out that page, providing information
on attachments, as necessary. Note! The IRB will usually want a draft of
the consent form you plan to use, too (see below). Then **bring it back
to me**. We will discuss and refine *before* submitting.

You will submit an "Request for Exemption" form (most game-related and
video-related studies are low-risk and get looked over by the IRB but
are deemed exempt). Exempt research still requires IRB review and
approval, but is exempt from other requirements, such as annual renewal
and, in some cases, informed consent.

**Important!** You'll need to complete CITI certification and have your
file/certificate with the IRB. This is a Human subjects in social and
behavioral research/basic/refresher course. The training is free once
you affiliate with WPI on the registration section (ask me if you need a
more detailed guide for the registration). Basically: 1) visit
<https://www.citiprogram.org>, 2) click "register", 3) enter "Worcester
Polytechnic Institute" and check the two boxes below, 4) click "Continue
to Create Your CITI Program Username/Password", do **not** complete
"Independent Learner Registration" (it does not apply and costs \$\$),
5) select "Social and Behavioral Research Investigators" (**not**
"Undergraduate Student Projects"), 6) Click "Complete Registration", 7)
Click "Finalize Registration", then 8) "View Courses" and finally "Start
Now" to take the course.

Make sure to make **me** the PI on the application. And include **all**
team members on the application.

Things you need:

-   Study design: what is the research purpose, what is the game, some
    screen shots or a sample of how it's played. Indicate how the
    participants will be introduced to the game/app.

-   The questions/survey you will use to gather data from your
    participants. Nearly all demographics and "experience" questions
    answered via a survey should be voluntary, not required. The only
    exceptions would be if the research hypothesis needs it, otherwise
    the user should be able to leave it blank. The questions/survey you
    will ask your participants. Attach the survey (Qualtrics or Google
    Forms, saved as a pdf).

-   Number of participants you expect and who they are.

-   The exact remuneration (pay) or prizes for participants.

-   A "informed consent" that tells the participants about the
    risk/benefits and procedures. A starting template is at:
    <https://tinyurl.com/tt2fhhh>. The template has more than you need -
    you can typically get yours down to 1-2 paragraphs or at most 1
    page. A brief introduction and purpose with a sentence or two on
    what the users will do. e.g. "You will play a game on this
    computer", or "You will download this game". And "testing will take
    10 minutes after which you will fill out a survey that asks about
    your experience. Make sure to say what will be done with the data.
    You will remain anonymous. Be explicit that users will be informed
    that participation is voluntary and users can quit at any time. Add,
    if you have questions you can contact us at `xxx@wpi.edu`."

In your materials, if using a game, describe the nature of the game
(what the player is doing). If using a commercial game, provide the ERSA
rating. If you are using an "M" rated game, indicate that the
participants will be informed of this up front (and why it has that
rating). Again, a screen shot can be helpful for the IRB review, as can
a link to the game publisher's page.

If you want even more details, ask me for the `irb.pptx` Powerpoint deck
which has a walk-through of the submission process and Web site. Note,
the deck is geared towards IQPs, but much of it is relevant to our
studies.

Related: to solicit participants from WPI CS majors, the mailing lists
are moderated. But you can use <https://forms.office.com/r/w4yAwzhEWd>
to get your announcement on the weekly digest.