GCU requires that all empirical research involving human participants or human-derived data adhere to established ethical standards for the protection of research participants. In alignment with the federal Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines, approval from the IRB must be obtained before the research activities of archival data analysis began.  This includes classroom-based research using archival data.  

Applicability to Empirical and Archival Research 

This requirement applies to all empirical research, including but not limited to: 

• Studies involving direct interaction with human participants (e.g., interviews, surveys, focus groups, observations)  

• Research using existing or archival data that originate from human participants (this includes the researcher’s own classroom). 

• Secondary analyses of datasets containing identifiable or potentially identifiable human information. 

Policy for Accessing Archival Data at GCU 

 
Upon receipt of IRB approval, all requests for archival data, including data from the researcher’s own courses, must be submitted through the Office of Research and Grants (ORG) by emailing [email protected]. ORG will coordinate with the Data Science team to facilitate data extraction. The researcher is responsible for submitting complete and accurate request details, including, but not limited to, applicable dates, course sections, and specific assignments. All data provided will be de-identified. Availability of requested data is not guaranteed. 

Protecting Human Subjects in Archival Data Research 

This policy is intended to protect student data and ensure compliance with federal and institutional requirements governing research with human participants. Centralizing archival data requests through the Office of Research and Grants supports Institutional Review Board (IRB) oversight and alignment with the ethical principles outlined in the Belmont Report, including respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. In addition, this process helps ensure adherence to guidance issued by the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) by promoting appropriate data de-identification, minimizing risk to participants, and maintaining responsible stewardship of student information throughout the research lifecycle. 

Contact  

For information on how to apply to the IRB, please visit, https://research.gcu.edu/irb/  or email [email protected]  

For questions about obtaining site authorization at GCU, please visit https://research.gcu.edu/site-authorization/   or email [email protected]  

For questions and resources on classroom-based/SoTL research, please visit the Center for Innovation and Research on Teaching (CIRT) support page https://cirt.gcu.edu/research/support or email [email protected]  

Exclusion: Classroom-based data collected by faculty solely for instructional improvement or reflective teaching practice does not require site authorization or IRB approval. However, when there is an intention to use such data for research purposes, including data analysis for publication or dissemination at conferences, IRB approval must be secured before data collection and analysis.