If a researcher submits a biography project on Bill Gates to the IRB, what can they expect?

In this scenario, the correct answer is based on the definition of what constitutes research requiring Institutional Review Board (IRB) oversight. For a project to fall under the jurisdiction of the IRB, it must typically involve a systematic investigation designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge and must involve human subjects.

A biography project about Bill Gates may be more of a historical or descriptive account rather than research aimed at answering a specific research question about human subjects, data collection, or analysis involving the subjects directly. Therefore, it may not fit the standard definition of research that necessitates IRB review.

Moreover, many IRBs focus on studies that involve interactions with individuals, obtaining information about individuals, or identifiable private data. Since a biography may rely on existing public information or published works without needing to interact with or collect data from living individuals, it does not meet the criteria for human subjects research.

Consequently, this indicates that the project would not be subjected to IRB review under typical regulations and definitions.