*****  To join INSNA, visit http://www.insna.org  *****

While every IRB will be a bit different - when I specifically inquired
at a statewide conference on IRB challenges about the issue of using
names in social network analysis the general principles for IRBs they
laid out were ...

1) Do No Harm
2) Justice
3) Risks - minimal risk balanced against the benefits.
4) Respect - for participants

In the context of using names for social network studies they suggested

1) Create Codes for Unique Names AFTER ALL of the data are collected -
this allows for linking macronetworks over time.
2) Point out that the research would be impractical to do any other way.
For example, what if as a joke someone in your network lists George W.
Bush or for that matter just a family member that lives in another state
- clearly tracking down all of the alters is not a practical option.
3) Having a detailed Data Management Plan to minimize any potential
breach of confidentiality.

Short version was as long as you can show a firm grasp of the potential
issues and have outlined a plan to minimize the possible risks to the
participants that was sufficient (again at least for this IRB).

Hope this helps.
-scott
-----Original Message-----
From: Social Networks Discussion Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Rachel Garshick Kleit
Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 11:02 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [Fwd: How to address the IRB's concern]

*****  To join INSNA, visit http://www.insna.org  *****

The alternative to contacting everyone on the list is one where the
names of
the alters is kept confidential from the researcher.  With egocentric
network information, you do not need to retain the names of the people
after
asking questions about them.  I've used surveys where I only collect the
first name of the alter or assign a letter to them.  After the survey is
completed, the identifier is retained, but the name is not.  When I've
explained this to the IRB, they have accepted the method as protecting
the
rights of the alters.

If one intends to contact the alters in the network, then the issues are
slightly different, but I've not had experience there.

Rachel Garshick Kleit, PhD
Assistant Professor
Evans School of Public Affairs
University of Washington
Box 353033
209C Parrington Hall
Seattle, WA 98195-3055
tel: 206 221 3063
fax: 206 685 9044
email: [log in to unmask]
homepage: http://www.evansuw.org/fac/Kleit/
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Borgatti" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 8:50 AM
Subject: Re: [Fwd: How to address the IRB's concern]


> *****  To join INSNA, visit http://www.insna.org  *****
>
> One thing that would help long-term is if INSNA had a document giving
> guidelines for ethically appropriate social network research. This
would
> allow researchers to point their IRBs to the document, saying that
their
> study is in compliance with standard norms.
>
> Steve.
>
> Steve Borgatti
> Professor & Chair
> Organization Studies Dept, Boston College
> Tel: +1 978 456 7356
> Fax: +1 978 456 7372
> E-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Social Networks Discussion Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On
> Behalf Of Bill.Richards
> Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 11:45
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [SOCNET] [Fwd: How to address the IRB's concern]
>
> *****  To join INSNA, visit http://www.insna.org  *****
>
> Nancy Leonard ([log in to unmask]) wrote to ask about addressing the
IRB's
> concern about the use of name rosters within a social network survey.
Is
> there
> an alternative to contacting everyone on the list to request their
> consent to include
> their name on that list?
>
> _____________________________________________________________________
> SOCNET is a service of INSNA, the professional association for social
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>
> _____________________________________________________________________
> SOCNET is a service of INSNA, the professional association for social
> network researchers (http://www.insna.org). To unsubscribe, send
> an email message to [log in to unmask] containing the line
> UNSUBSCRIBE SOCNET in the body of the message.
>

_____________________________________________________________________
SOCNET is a service of INSNA, the professional association for social
network researchers (http://www.insna.org). To unsubscribe, send
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UNSUBSCRIBE SOCNET in the body of the message.

_____________________________________________________________________
SOCNET is a service of INSNA, the professional association for social
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an email message to [log in to unmask] containing the line
UNSUBSCRIBE SOCNET in the body of the message.