New HRPP Guidance on Managing Suspicious Survey Submissions

September 4, 2026

The Michigan State University Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) and Institutional Review Board (IRB) have received an increasing number of inquiries from researchers seeking guidance on handling suspicious survey submissions, particularly in studies that offer participant compensation. Suspicious submissions may include responses generated by bots, submissions from individuals who do not meet study eligibility criteria, or other questionable responses that may compromise data quality.

While the HRPP cannot provide a comprehensive definition of what constitutes a suspicious submission, new guidance offers some suggestions for strategies to deter them. The new guidance includes sample consent language and may be especially helpful for investigators conducting online survey research with participant compensation. 

To view the new guidance, please see HRPP Manual 12-12, Guidance on Suspicious Survey Submissions: https://hrpp.msu.edu/help/manual/12-12.html