Research Area Pathways
Decision pathways for each of the five research areas in the Navigator. After choosing jurisdiction and research area, these questions narrow toward a committee outcome.
Medicine and Health Sciences
The most detailed pathway. Separates by patient contact, then by intervention.
Patient contact question
| Answer | Routes to |
|---|---|
| No - Retrospective/Data Analysis Only | Scientific Research Ethics Committee |
| Yes - Direct Patient Contact | Intervention question |
| Animal Research Only | IACUC |
Retrospective branch (all route to Scientific Research Ethics Committee)
- Retrospective Chart/Medical Record Review
- Database or Registry Analysis
- Retrospective Imaging or Laboratory Data Analysis
- Secondary Analysis of Existing Research Data
Intervention question
"Does your research involve any medical intervention that could alter patient outcomes?"
| Answer | Routes to |
|---|---|
| No - Observational/Data Collection Only | Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee |
| Yes - Medical Intervention Involved | Clinical Research Ethics Committee (jurisdiction-resolved) |
Non-interventional study types
All route to Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee:
- Prospective Cohort Study
- Prospective Case-Control Study
- Cross-Sectional Study with Patient Contact
- Clinical Attachment/Observation Study
- Natural History Study
- Patient Survey or Interview Study
Interventional studies
All route to Clinical Research Ethics Committee, resolved by jurisdiction (FDA = IRB-FDA, EMA = IEC-EMA).
Science and Engineering
Research type question
| Answer | Routes to |
|---|---|
| Human subjects | Human-interaction question |
| Environmental research | Environmental-impact question |
| Laboratory research | Hazardous-materials question |
| Engineering research | Engineering outcome |
| Computational/Data science | Data-science outcome |
Human-subjects branch
"What type of human interaction?"
- Physical measurements or testing - IRB/REB Required
- Cognitive or behavioural testing - IRB/REB Required
- Biological sample collection - IRB/REB Required
Environmental branch
"Scope of environmental impact?"
| Answer | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Significant | Environmental Permits Required |
| Moderate | Standard Permits Required |
| Minimal | Basic Oversight Required |
Laboratory branch
Sub-branches by type (Chemical/Biological/Physical), then hazardous materials level:
- High-risk: Safety Permits Required
- Moderate-risk: Safety Protocols Required
- Low-risk: Basic Oversight Required
Education and Social Sciences
Research type question
| Answer | Routes to |
|---|---|
| Interviews or focus groups | Interview-type question |
| Observational studies | Observation-type question |
| Educational research | Educational Ethics Committee |
| Psychological research | Psychology outcome |
| Anthropological research | Anthropology outcome |
Interview branch
Types: Individual interviews, Focus groups, Expert interviews
Follow-up: "Will you be working with vulnerable participants?"
| Outcome | Review |
|---|---|
| Expert Interview | IRB/REB Required |
| Vulnerable Participants Interview | IRB/REB Full Board Review |
| Standard Interview | IRB/REB Required |
Observation branch
Types: Participatory, Non-participatory, Online observation - all IRB/REB.
Educational branch
Types: Educational intervention, Educational assessment - route to Educational Ethics Committee.
Arts
Arts research type question
| Answer | Routes to |
|---|---|
| Performance or interactive art | Participant-involvement question |
| Cultural or heritage research | Cultural-sensitivity question |
| Digital or new media art | Digital-art sub-type |
| Visual arts | Visual-arts outcome |
| Music research | Music outcome |
Performance branch
"How will participants be involved?"
| Involvement | Review |
|---|---|
| Observation only | Ethics Approval Generally Not Required |
| Active participation | IRB/REB Required |
| Vulnerable participants | IRB/REB Full Board Review Required |
Cultural-sensitivity branch
| Material type | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Indigenous cultural materials | IRB/REB and Community Approval Required |
| Religious or sacred artifacts | Ethics Approval Generally Not Required |
| Historical cultural heritage | Ethics Approval Generally Not Required |
| Contemporary cultural practices | IRB/REB Approval May Be Required |
Indigenous materials require community approval in addition to institutional ethics review.
Survey Studies
Shortest pathway, keyed on anonymity and sensitivity.
Anonymity question
"Will survey responses be completely anonymous?"
If Yes - sensitivity question:
| Sensitive data? | Outcome |
|---|---|
| No | Ethics Approval May Not Be Required |
| Yes | IRB/REB Approval Required |
If No - identifiable data question:
| Data type | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Personal identifiers | IRB/REB Approval Required |
| Demographic data only | IRB/REB Approval Likely Required |
Anonymity plus non-sensitive content is the lowest-risk combination.
How pathways relate to committees
| Pathway | Committee |
|---|---|
| Retrospective/secondary data (medicine) | Scientific Research Ethics Committee |
| Patient contact, no intervention | Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee |
| Medical intervention | Clinical Research Ethics Committee (jurisdiction-resolved) |
| Animal research | IACUC |
| Human subjects (science, social, arts, survey) | IRB / REB |
| Educational research | Educational Ethics Committee |
| Environmental research | No ethics committee; environmental assessment, permits, monitoring, or standard safety oversight as applicable |
| Published-data-only / theoretical | None |
The outcome title tells you both the study classification and the review requirement. The result then provides committee requirements, regulatory references, and next steps.