The IRB, Institutional Review Board, was created in response to many incidents over the past century. The Tuskegee research conducted in the 1940s, the Nuremburg trials of 1947 which resulted in the first platform for interrogational codes of ethics. These events led to the creation and implantation of the IRB in 1971. “The IRB is charged with reviewing plans that protect your participants. The IRB ensures that human subjects do not bear any inappropriate risk and have properly consented to their involvement.” 1
To conduct any oral interview with human subjects, one must ascertain CITI, Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative, training. From personal experience, the training required is grueling. The online course consists of supplemental and required models. In the required model section, there are eleven subsections with quizzes: Belmont Report and CITI Course Introduction, History and Ethical Principles, Defining Research with Human Subjects, The Federal Regulations, Assessing Risk, Informed Consent, Privacy and Confidentiality, Populations in Research Requiring Additional Considerations and/or Protections, Conflicts of Interest in Research Involving Human Subjects, Unanticipated Problems and Reporting Requirements in Social and Behavioral Research, and Oklahoma State University module. In the supplemental model section, there are twenty-four quizzes and tests from Role and Responsibilities of an IRB Chair to the Native American module and from the Consent and Subject Recruitment Challenges: Remuneration to the Cultural Competence in Research. Having just started this training, it is very intensive, time consuming, as well as all-encompassing to supply the trainee with the rules, regulations, stipulations, and guidelines for interviewing human subjects. 2
In creating this site concentrating on the sport of barrel racing. I felt it important to include an oral interview of a woman on the OSU Rodeo Team. Initially, I contacted the OSU Oral History Lab and started CITI IRB training. After taking multiple quizzes and tests, I was informed that the courses I took was a refresher course for someone already who had received IRB training. At first I was disappointed since I had contacted a young woman on the Rodeo team and established a time to conduct an interview. After contacting Sarah Milligan at the Oral History Lab, she informed me that she, who has the IRB training and certification, would sit in on the interview. With this, I met with barrel racer Jesse Henderson on Monday, November 23rd.
I created a question list consisting of over thirty questions from what’s your name? to how long have you been barrel racing? I emailed the questions to Jesse and Sarah so they would have a “heads up “of what would be asked. On Monday morning, Sarah said the questions were fine but suggested that I didn’t live by the questions and let the interview develop more into a conversation. Jesse showed up at 10;30, we set the equipment up, and we began. Jesse answering questions intelligently and with great conviction for the sport of barrel racing. As the interview continued, I took Sarah’s advice and let Jesse’s answers create my questions. The interview lasted an hour with all three of us leaving very pleased with the results.
I received an email around noon stating that I could transcribe the interview myself which would speed up the process. I am currently in the process of transcribing. Sarah stated that after this process is complete, the transcripts would be sent to Jesse who would have two weeks to look over the interview then once she signed off, I could upload video and or audio of the interview.
The entire process was very educational for me to acquire the knowledge needed to conduct oral interviews. Sarah also informed me that the video would be uploaded onto the Oral History Lab’s archive which would allow other to view and appreciate for years to come.
- http://www.tjc.edu/info/2003855/iepr/374/institutional_review_board/3, http://www.american.edu/irb/.
- https://www.citiprogram.org/members/index.cfm?pageID=122.