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Getting Started with the IRB WebKit

NOTE: The Education Research and Social and Behavioral Science IRB offices will move to a new online protocol submission system, ARROW, on October 1, 2012. Please continue to use WebKit until that time. More information on ARROW and procedures.

What is the IRB WebKit?

The IRB WebKit is UW's online submission system for human subjects applications. It replaces the paper application forms used previously. If you have used the paper-based system before, you will find that the online system is similar, though some sections of the forms have been rearranged.

Is there anything special I need to know as a WCER researcher?

Human subjects applications must be submitted by the principal investigator. The forms can be completed by a staff member, but the PI must log in and click the submit button on the application itself. Indeed, only the PI can see the submit button; this button does not appear on staff members' screens.

Kurt Brown is available to advise WCER PIs on federal HS regulations, university HS procedures, and use of IRB WebKit. To help him identify your HS records and answer your questions, please take the following two steps when initiating new HS forms:

1.   Select Wisconsin Center for Education Research—not your home academic department—from the drop-down menu when prompted by IRB WebKit to identify the PI's department.

2.   Grant security clearance to Kurt Brown (see the Security tab in the IRB WebKit).

Note that the WebKit is a communication system, not an archival system. You are still responsible for keeping copies of your applications and all pertinent records. It's easy to print copies of the forms from within the WebKit.

A note about deadlines

UW-Madison currently operates on a "just-in-time" basis, meaning that submission of a human subjects application is not required at the time your proposal is submitted. However, should you receive an award, Research and Sponsored Programs (RSP) will require certification of human subjects training and IRB approval before it will open an account. To avoid delay at the point of funding, you'll want to anticipate the probable date of an award and make sure that all key personnel have completed the human subjects training and that you have IRB approval before that date.

Here is a quick tutorial

Click here to take a 5-minute tutorial on the IRB WebKit. This tutorial shows you how to log into the WebKit, how to create and edit an application, and how to do the two things requested above: select WCER as your department and grant security clearance Kurt Brown.