If a student research project involves surveys without collecting identifiable information, what type of review is it likely to require?

The selection of exempt review for a student research project that involves surveys without collecting identifiable information is appropriate because exempt status applies to certain categories of research that present minimal risk to participants. In this case, if the surveys do not collect any data that could identify individuals, they likely fall into a type of research that is considered exempt from the more rigorous review processes.

Exempt review is designed for studies where the risks are minimal, and because identifiable information is not collected, the likelihood of privacy breaches is reduced. It allows researchers to begin their work more quickly while still ensuring that ethical considerations are addressed.

While full board review is reserved for studies that involve more significant risks or complex methodologies, and expedited review is for research that involves no more than minimal risk but may include identifiable information, those options aren't necessary for this study. A not human subjects review would imply that the study does not involve human subjects at all, which is not the case here since surveys involving human participants, even without identifiable information, still need to follow institutional guidelines for ethical research involving human subjects. Thus, the best fit is an exempt review.