AI and student research ethics: the IRB rules even teen researchers should know

End-of-lesson check

15 questions · take it digitally for instant feedback at tendril.neural-forge.io/learn/quiz/end-builders-research-AI-and-IRB-and-ethics-for-students-r7a10-teen

1. What is the purpose of informed consent in research involving people?

   1. To allow researchers to use participant data however they want
   2. To give researchers legal ownership of all survey responses
   3. To let teachers grade students on their participation
   4. To make sure participants understand what the study is about and agree to take part voluntarily

2. A middle school student wants to survey classmates about their favorite video games. When is parental consent required?

   1. When the students are under 18 years old, since they are considered minors
   2. Only if the survey asks about grades or school performance
   3. Never, because classmates are not considered research subjects
   4. Only if the survey is conducted online rather than in person

3. What does it mean to anonymize research answers?

   1. Writing the participant's name clearly on each response
   2. Removing any information that could identify who gave which answer
   3. Asking participants to sign their survey pages
   4. Sharing answers only with the researcher's friends

4. Which of these topics would require adult oversight in a student research project?

   1. Questions about preferred music genres
   2. Questions about favorite pizza toppings
   3. Questions about mental health, depression, or thoughts of self-harm
   4. Questions about favorite book genres

5. Why do research ethics rules require consent to be obtained in writing rather than just verbal agreement?

   1. Verbal consent is too complicated for students to understand
   2. Written consent takes less time to collect than verbal consent
   3. Written proof shows exactly what participants agreed to and protects everyone involved
   4. Oral agreements are not legally recognized in any situation

6. What should a student researcher do if their survey collects answers suggesting a participant may be experiencing abuse?

   1. Include the information in the final research presentation
   2. Report the concern to a teacher or counselor immediately, following the adult oversight plan
   3. Keep the information private to protect the participant's trust
   4. Share the information with other students to get advice

7. What is the main job of an IRB when reviewing student research proposals?

   1. Grading the quality of the research methods
   2. Checking that participants will be treated fairly and safely
   3. Deciding whether the student will pass or fail the class
   4. Approving the use of specific survey questions

8. What must be included in an informed consent form for research involving minors?

   1. The researcher's personal contact information for social media
   2. The study's purpose, what participation involves, risks, and the right to quit anytime
   3. A statement that participants cannot ever change their mind
   4. A promise that participants will receive extra credit

9. Why is participant anonymity especially important when collecting answers about illegal behavior or sensitive personal issues?

   1. Researchers are not allowed to know who participated
   2. Participants might get in trouble or face embarrassment if their answers were linked to their name
   3. Anonymity makes the research take longer to complete
   4. Anonymity is required only for online surveys, not paper ones

10. What is the minimum age at which a student can give informed consent without parental permission?

    1. 16 years old, the age of consent in most states
    2. There is no minimum age — anyone under 18 needs parental permission for research
    3. 18 years old, the age of legal adulthood
    4. 13 years old, the age of digital consent for most websites

11. A student wants to study how much time classmates spend on homework. What is the first step before collecting any data?

    1. Start collecting answers and ask for permission afterward
    2. Post the survey online without telling anyone
    3. Create a consent form explaining the study and get permission from participants or their parents
    4. Ask participants to sign their answers after completing the survey

12. How can AI help a student researcher with ethics and compliance?

    1. AI can draft a proper consent form that explains the study clearly
    2. AI can complete the entire research project without student involvement
    3. AI can automatically sign consent forms on behalf of participants
    4. AI can decide which participants should be in the study

13. What could happen if a student conducts research without proper consent procedures?

    1. The research would be published in a professional journal
    2. The student would automatically receive an A grade
    3. The project could be stopped by a teacher or rejected from a science fair
    4. The student would be exempted from all future homework

14. When is verbal consent acceptable instead of written consent in student research?

    1. It generally isn't — written consent is the standard for research involving people
    2. When the survey has fewer than five questions
    3. When participants are good friends of the researcher
    4. When the research is done for a class rather than a science fair

15. What is the primary reason research ethics guidelines exist?

    1. To protect participants from harm and ensure they are treated fairly
    2. To give teachers more work to do reviewing student papers
    3. To limit the types of questions researchers can ask
    4. To make it harder for students to complete research projects