What does the term "research proposal" refer to in the context of the IRB?

The term "research proposal" in the context of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) refers to a document outlining a research project for ethical review. When researchers plan to conduct studies involving human participants, this proposal serves as a formal request to the IRB to review the proposed research to ensure it adheres to ethical standards and protects the rights and welfare of participants. The proposal typically includes information about the research objectives, methodology, participant recruitment, data collection, potential risks to participants, and measures taken to mitigate those risks.

This process is crucial because the IRB is responsible for safeguarding participants' rights and well-being, ensuring that all necessary ethical considerations are made before the research begins. The proposal must be detailed enough to provide the IRB with a clear understanding of what the research entails and the potential ethical implications involved.

In contrast to this, options providing requests for funding, summaries of previous research, or reports on completed studies do not align with the IRB's focus on the ethical review of proposed research before it is conducted. These other types of documents serve different purposes that do not involve the approval process necessary for safeguarding human participants in new research.