Mass email content should be concise, written in lay language, and outline the following key elements:

Purpose

This study is…  [Provide a 1-2 sentence description of the study in lay terms, including the purpose of the study and the primary procedures involved.]

Eligibility

• [Provide bulleted inclusion criteria for this study. May also provide exclusion criteria, as needed]

Participants will [Provide a 1-2 sentence description of the length of the study, number of visits, participation requirements.]

Compensation

There is no compensation for participation in this study.

---OR---

Study participants will be paid [INSERT TOTAL AMOUNT AND/OR COMPENSATION SCHEDULE] for their time and effort.               

Closing

Sincerely, 

[Research Team Member Name OR Research Lab Name OR Principal Investigator]

[Email address and phone number]

NEW “I’m Interested” feature

February 2025: There will be a new field in the Mass Email request form for a button in each email that is labeled “I’m Interested in participating”. This will be a consistent visual cue for the reader to take action. The research team should enter an email address, link to survey, or link to website – whatever the team would like to use as the preferred method for potential subjects to take the next step.

Using a strong subject line directed to your target audience will strengthen your chances of reaching your target audience.  Here are some additional tips when writing your mass email subject line.

• Consider your subject line as your best opportunity to invite participants who might be eligible to open the message. 
• The subject line will automatically start with the [Research] tag, so it does not need to be repeated in the subject line
• Use direct, concise language that is specific to the study. Avoid using acronyms or the name of the lab in the subject line. Instead, include information about eligibility.
  • Examples of strong subject lines:
    • Recruiting pregnant women for a blood vessel study
    • Paid opportunity for adults ages 40-85 with high blood pressure
    • Sleep in preterm and term infants
    • Paid research opportunity for children 6 months to 4 years old
    • Lung health study for healthy adults, ages 25-35 
    • Vessel function in young adults who vape
  • Subject lines to avoid: 
    • Research study in psychology
    • Seeking adult volunteers for research study
    • Artemis Research Lab seeks volunteers for A.N.A. study

Your mass email request should already have IRB approval prior to submission to ITS. Requests without appropriate IRB approval will be rejected.

HSO staff will review the information in the mass email request to verify it is complete and consistent with the information contained in the HawkIRB application.  Specifically:

• Section VII.D.1 should mention email.
• Section VII.D.29 and/or VII.D.30 should describe the use of mass email and the mass email audience (e.g. UI students, Faculty, and/or Staff.)
• The Attachment page (recruitment email category) should include the exact subject line and text of the message included on the Request for Mass E-mail.

1. Open Request for Mass E-mail - Log in using your HawkID and password.  Select “+Create New Massmail” in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
2. Complete each field or the form will not submit appropriately.  See Requesting a Mass Mailing – step by step for full instructions.  
3. Ensure the subject line in the Hawk IRB attachment  exactly matches the information in the  “Subject “ of message box.
4. Ensure the content of the recruitment email message included on the HawkIRB Attachments page exactly matches the message you insert in the “text of email” field on the form. This includes any images included in the email.
5. In the box labeled “Mass Email Message Attachment Name (as attached in HawkIRB)”, insert the name of the template attachment you are using for that request.
6. Include a valid @uiowa.edu e-mail address in the From, Reply To and Requestor Email fields (e.g. bruce-banner@uiowa.edu)
7. Be sure to select the approved Message Category code “Research Recruitment”.
8. Click ‘submit’ at the bottom to send to ITS.

1. HSO will review the request to ensure it is consistent with IRB approved content.  The HSO may take the following actions. 

• HSO will approve the request with no changes. 
• HSO will request revisions to either the mass email content or the IRB application to ensure consistency.
• HSO will void the request. Information will be provided in the mass email request form regarding the reason for the rejection.

2. The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) will review the request to ensure appropriate audience usage. 
3. You will be notified upon HSO and OVPR approval to grant final approval of the mass email request.  Upon approval, ITS will send out your Mass Email to the selected audience.

• Understand that many email messages go unopened. Utilizing a multifaceted media approach for subject recruitment will increase the likelihood of reaching your target audience. 
• If you intend to send multiple mailings throughout the project, you must fill out a separate Request for each mailing. 
• For multiple requests, please note in the Notes field that this is message 1 of 3, etc. and submit a separate request for each one
• Processing by the Human Subjects Office will take approximately two business days.