Please read the details of the consent form carefully before clicking the "agree" option and proceeding to the survey. 

Consent Form for Participation in a Research Study

 

Principal Investigator: Margaret Rubega

Study Title: Examining the Effect Of Information Sources On Sustainability Perceptions Among Undergraduates


Overview of the Research

 

You are being asked to provide consent to participate in a research study. Participation is voluntary. You can say yes or no. If you say yes now you can still change your mind later.  Some key points to consider are summarized in this overview, but you should consider all of the information in this document carefully before making your decision.

 

This research is being done to examine how effective different methods of science communication are in communicating issues relating to sustainability.

 

Participation will involve approximately twenty minutes of your time.

 

You will be asked to read a short piece of text and then take a survey.

 

There are no expected risks of participating in this study.

 

There may also be benefits from participation. You may learn more about different methods of science communication. This research may also result in helping scientists improve methods of communicating sustainability issues.

 

A more detailed description of this research follows.

 

Introduction

 

You are invited to participate in a research study to investigate the effectiveness of different methods of science communication in undergraduates. You are being asked to participate because you are an undergraduate at the University of Connecticut. Only currently enrolled UConn undergraduates are eligible to participate in this study.

 

Why is this study being done?

 

We are conducting this research study to assess what methods of science communication are the most effective for issues relating to sustainability.

 

 

What are the study procedures?  What will I be asked to do?

 

If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to read a short piece of text on sustainability and take a survey asking you about your beliefs.

 

What are the risks or inconveniences of the study? 

 

We believe there are no known risks associated with this research study.

 

What are the benefits of the study?

 

You may benefit from the results of this study by helping researchers determine which methods of communication are the most effective.

 

Will I receive payment for participation?  Are there costs to participate?

 

There are no costs to participate. By participating in this survey, you have the option to enter into a raffle to win gift cards ranging from $10 to $100.

 

We do not expect participants to incur any costs.

 

How will my personal information be protected?

 

The following procedures will be used to protect the confidentiality of your data.  All data collected will be stored in the secure Qualtrics platform. Only the principal investigator supervising this study, the student researcher conducting this research, and a consulting humanities professor will have access to this data. All data collected will be anonymized. The only identifier we are collecting is your email address, which will only be accessed if you have been selected as a raffle winner.

 

People will be offered the opportunity to volunteer their email address if they wish to be entered into a drawing for a gift card in exchange for participating, but their email address will not be linked in any way to their data, so that even the investigators will not be able to tell who provided which data even after the study is complete. Participants will access the link to input their email address through a link at the end of the survey, ensuring that the email address will be unlinked from their survey data.

 

We will do our best to protect the confidentiality of the information we gather from you but we cannot guarantee 100% confidentiality. Data that we collect from you may be shared with other researchers in the future, but only after your name and all identifying information have been removed.

 

You should also know that the UConn Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Research Compliance Services may inspect study records as part of its auditing program, but these reviews will only focus on the researchers and not on your responses or involvement.  The IRB is a group of people who review research studies to protect the rights and welfare of research participants.

 

 

Can I stop being in the study and what are my rights?

 

You do not have to be in this study if you do not want to.  If you agree to be in the study, but later change your mind, you may drop out at any time.  There are no penalties or consequences of any kind if you decide that you do not want to participate.

 

 

Whom do I contact if I have questions about the study?

 

Take as long as you like before you make a decision. We will be happy to answer any question you have about this study. If you have further questions about this study or if you have a research-related problem, you may contact the Principal Investigator, (Margaret Rubega, Margaret.rubega@uconn.edu) If you have any questions concerning your rights as a research participant, you may contact the University of Connecticut Institutional Review Board (IRB) at 860-486-8802.

 


 

Documentation of Consent:

I have read this form and decided that I will participate in the project described above.  Its general purposes, the particulars of involvement and possible risks and inconveniences have been explained to my satisfaction.  I understand that I can withdraw at any time. I am confirming that I am a currently enrolled UConn undergraduate over the age of 18.  My clicking the "I agree" box also indicates that I have received a copy of this consent form.