One of the most important, yet frustrating, aspects of doing social science research is translating ethical principles, especially those required by federal regulations, into valid research methods and procedures. Planning ethically responsible research guides readers through this labyrinth by providing the practical knowledge needed to plan ethically responsible social and behavioral research. This handy volume offers guidelines in each chapter for satisfying federal regulations governing human research and for working with the university's Institutional Review Board (IRB). The book also includes an abundance of useful tools: an introduction to the IRB protocol in which the investigator describes the research to the IRB, addresses its ethical considerations, and indicates the necessary steps to take to comply with legal and ethical requirements; detailed instructions on development of an effective protocol; methods for handling issues of consent, privacy, confidentiality and deception; ways to assess risk and benefit to optimize research outcomes; and how to respect the needs of vulnerable research populations such as children and the urban poor, including those at risk for HIV infection. Professionals and students of research methods, evaluation, psychology, sociology, and nursing will not want to miss this insightful addition to research.