What is Research?
1.1 NUS-IRB Definition of Research
A systematic investigation, including research development, testing or evaluation designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. Such activity may or may not differ in any significant way from customary medical or other professional practice. Educational exercises involving human participants that are not construed as "research" (e.g., class demonstrations and exercises that do not lead to publishable materials) do not require ethics review, unless otherwise required by the Faculty or Department Heads. The intent to publish is usually one criterion for a project to be considered research. Most reputable journals would require the research to be reviewed by the IRB before they will agree to publish the results of the research. (Click here for more details).
1.2 NUS-IRB Definition of Student Research
All student research involving humans as research subjects must be subject to ethics review by either the NUS Institutional Review Board (NUS-IRB) or the Department. This is an important learning experience for both undergraduates and graduate students. The results from such research may or may not be intended for publication or presentation outside the classroom. They include experimental protocols, observational studies, interviews, questionnaires, secondary use of data that are not in the public domain and research involving human remains, tissues, or biological fluids.
1.3 For more information on NUS-IRB, please click here.
1.4 For NUS-IRB’s glossary of terms such as “vulnerable/ special population” and “minimal risk”, etc, please click here.