Faculty Resources

Steps to Submitting a Proposal

Step One
Download the latest version of the submission document to your machine. To do this, right click on the link in the previous sentence, and choose "Save Link As" or "Save Target As", depending on your web browser. You may choose to save the document anywhere, but make sure you know where that is. My Documents is convenient.

Please always download the latest version for every proposal you submit.

Step Two
Rename the document you just downloaded so the name includes the primary researcher's name. For example, "JayShaffstall -- Human Subjects Review.doc".

Step Three
Fill out the proposal. If this is your first time filling out an ACHS proposal, see below, the Guide To Filling Out A Proposal section for additional explanations of what you must enter.

Step Four
Include any related documentation. Examples include electronic versions of a survey, copies of agency permission letters, etc. If you have supporting material that is not available in electronic form, send one copy to the committee chair via campus mail, in addition to submitting your proposal via email. Please combine all documents into one overall document. This makes the review process quicker and easier. If you need to lable separate documents within the main document, you may do so (e.g. 'Appendix A' or 'Supplement 1')

Step Five
Sign your proposal. The researcher must type their name into the signature space in the proposal form. The advisor must also sign the proposal in the appropriate space.

Step Six
Submit the proposal. Students should email their proposal and related documentation to their research advisor, who will submit it to the ACHS on their behalf.

Advisors and faculty, to submit proposals, attach the proposal document and all related files to an email and send to achs@muskingum.edu. Make the subject of the email the same as the title of the proposal document (e.g. "JayShaffstall -- Human Subjects Review").

Step Seven
Wait. The committee typically either approves or provides feedback on proposals the week following its submission, provided it was submitted by the deadline for the week (see the Frequently Asked Questions for the current semester's deadline). If changes are required, the committe will detail the changes needed and you can resubmit the proposal.

During periods of heavy submissions, proposal responses will be delayed. To avoid this, submit your proposal early, before the rush.

Guide to Filling out a Proposal 

Researcher's Name
Enter your full name, and the names of your research partners or group, when applicable.

Researcher's Status
If you are an undergraduate, graduate student, or instructor at Muskingum University you are bound by the federal guidelines for research, as mandated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services and regulated by the Office for Human Research Protections, web site at http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/. The full set of regulations governing institutional research by persons other than faculty or students can be found under Links Related to the ACHS, at the ACHS webpage. 

Address/Phone Number
Your current address and a phone number where you can be reached, in case of questions concerning your form.

Name of Research Advisor
If an undergraduate or graduate student, your research advisor must be an employee of the University. Faculty members leave this blank.

Area of Concentration/Course
If this is research for a course, include course name as well as full course number and section number. Do not include the courses from which you are recruiting subjects, only the course for which this is an assignment.

Title of Research
Include the tile of your current project, e.g. “Friendship Satisfaction Dyads”. Working titles are acceptable. If the title of your project changes in the course of your research, and you are applying for an extension, please reference the original title in your proposal for extension, e.g. “Friendship Satisfaction Between Same Sexual Orientation and Different Orientation Dyads (see original title Friendship Satisfaction Dyads, approved Spring, 2006)”

Desired Start Date
Enter the month and year in which you plan to begin your research, e.g. March, 2008.

Length of Project
List the anticipated time your research project will take to be completed as Month, year to Month, year, e.g. March, 2008-November, 2008.

Will this research be submitted to an external agency for funding?
Please enter the name of the external agency from which you plan to request funding (e.g. if you're submitting a grant proposal).