Statement for Visual Anthropology MA Students
Concerning the Status of Their MA Creative Work Projects
in Relation to SFSU’s IRB and Office for the Protection of Human Subjects
Introduction by Peter Biella, Visual Focus Director
May 1, 2009
It is often the case the Visual Anthropology Creative Works are excluded from Office for the Protection of Human Subjects oversight because of the fact that many anthropological films fall under the rubric of “oral histories.” Oral history records are not defined as “research.” However, the exclusion is not a certain thing, since each film is different.
Students questioning the status of their prospective MA film/creative work projects should read the following and its links, and discuss the matter with their advisors. They should then, in consultation with their advisors, contact the Office for the Protection of Human and Animal Subjects with a paragraph long description of their proposed project, and receive a determination from that office.
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Letter from Mary Richards, IRB Administrator
April 22, 2009
To determine if your project requires review by the Office for the Protection of Human and Animal Subjects, that Office must decide if the project is research as defined by the National Institutes of Health (please refer to the OPHAS website: “Does my research require review?” at http://www.sfsu.edu/~protocol/human/review-required.htm )
or whether it is oral history (please refer to the Oral History Association guidelines on Oral History and IRB review at
http://www.oralhistory.org/do-oral-history/oral-history-and-irb-review/ )
If in doubt, email a paragraph description of your proposed project to the Office for the Protection of Human and Animal Subjects at protocol@sfsu.edu for a determination on whether your project requires review or not, with a justification of your opinion from the oral history or research site.
If it’s determined that your project is oral history, please refer to the oral history guidelines at http://www.oralhistory.org/network/mw/index.php/Evaluation_Guide
If it’s determined that your project is human subjects research, please refer to the website at www.sfsu.edu/~protocol for information, forms and templates necessary to file a human subjects research protocol.
Mary Richards, Office for the Protection of Human and Animal Subjects
April 22, 2009
