Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Division
Jamestown Community College
525 Falconer St.
112 SCCE
Jamestown, NY 14701
716-338-1314
and
Grants Administration Research Services Office
SUNY Fredonia
280 Central Ave.
E230 Thompson Hall
Fredonia, NY 14063
716-673-3528
INFORMED CONSENT DOCUMENT
Project TitleHURI SURI: Helping Future Biotechnologists in Rural Appalachia HURI-up with Undergraduate Research
Dear Student,
You are being asked to participate in an educational research study conducted through Jamestown Community College. The College requires that you give your signed agreement to participate in this project.
Herein is a detailed explanation of: (a) the purpose of the study, (b) the procedures or protocols to be used, (c) how your personal information will be kept confidential, and (d) the potential benefits and possible risks of participation. Additional information can be obtained by contacting Dr Crisman at 716-338-1373 or .
You may ask the teacher or Dr Crisman any questions you have to help you understand the project. A basic explanation of the project is written below. Please read this explanation and discuss with Dr Crisman or the teacher any questions you may have.
Then, if you decide to participate in the study, please sign on the last page of this form in the presence of Dr Crisman or the teacher. A copy of this form will be given to you for you to keep.
1. Project Purpose and Description:If science students participate in undergraduate research projects that have the look and feel of real job experiences, they understand and remember the information better, use the information easier and love science all the more. The purpose of this project is to give students the chance to take a college-level biology course that uses real life research projects to improve teaching. At the end of the project, we hope to determine if students learned the material better and have positive attitudes about science careers. They will be asked to fill-out anonymous surveys and will be tested using specific questions and activities designed to determine how well they understood the material. Dr Crisman will receive all information from the teacher anonymously and analyze how well the course prepared the student. Dr Crisman will receive all information from the teacher anonymously and analyze how well the course prepared the student.
2. Explanation of Procedures or Protocols:Dr Crisman will put all information collected from students into electronic files and use some statistical analysis software to analyze the information. Dr Crisman will use this information to improve how the course is taught and to see if the putting undergraduate research into a first semester biology course is worthwhile. They two research projects students will participate in will be using DNA methods to identify genes or variants of genes. Both use routine lab methods that are consistent with procedures done high school level labs. One involves collecting saliva from pet dogs and isolating its DNA. The DNA will be analyzed for the presence of genetic markers that may indicate a greater chance for the dog to suffer from arthritis as an adult. You may feel discomfort in knowing that your dog may have an increased risk in getting this disease. JCC counseling center is availablefor counseling to assist people who are adversely affected by this news. The second involves trapping mosquitoes, identifying them and determining if they are infected with heartworm parasites. As the parasites and mosquitoes are dead at collection and heartworm is only a disease of dogs, students will not experience any risk of getting the disease. Students or parents objecting to either of these projects will be given an alternate activity in which to participate.Besides completing the pre-program survey, you will be contacted by Dr Crisman for a post-program survey.
3. Confidentiality: Dr Crisman will keep all information strictly confidential. All of the collected information will be collected anonymously on paper, and then, will be entered into electronic files on a weekly basis. Until the information from paper copies has been entered into an electronic file, it will be kept in a locked cabinet in Dr Crisman’s office which also will be kept locked. After the electronic files are obtained the paper copies will be shredded. Electronic fileswill be kept on a password protected computer that will never be connected to the internet, and will be backed up on a password protected flash drive. All of the electronic files will be password protected as well. Moreover, the computer and flash drive will be kept in a locked cabinet and office described above, and Dr Crisman will be the only person who ever uses the computer or flash drive or has access to the data files which will contain collected information. From survey data, Dr Crisman may use quotes from individual students, but any quotes used will never be linked or identified to an individual student in any way. In addition, Dr Crisman ultimately will summarize all quantitative data into an aggregate form that does not show any one individual students’ data. Finally, after all information is analyzed a special type of software will be sued to fully and finally erases data files from computers and flash drives.
4. Benefits: Students will benefit from performing authentic undergraduate research in a number of ways. They will retain the information better, use it easier and have a real life experience working in a lab. In addition, if this project is successful, Western New York could develop a biotechnology workforce that would lead to more biology-related employers in the area and thus more jobs for everyone.
5. Risks: The main risk is a violationof the confidentiality of the information students provide to Dr Crisman. However, that risk is very small because of the rigorous procedures outlined above to protect confidentiality (see above). Working in a laboratory requires following standard safety procedures, whether or not it is associated with an educational research project. Following those procedures is expected in this course. The research projects were selected to minimize exposure to hazardous chemicals and reagents.
6. Refusal/Withdrawal:
(a) Refusal to participate in this study will have no effect on a student’s grade in any way in this course and on any present or future services or benefits that they may be entitled to from Jamestown Community College.
(b) Anyone who agrees to participate in this study is free to withdrawfrom the study at any time without penalty.
(c) Anyone who agrees to participate in this study acknowledges it is not possible to identify all potential risks in an educational research study.
7. Signatures:
Student:
Signature______Date ______
Printed Name ______
Research Representative:
Signature______Date ______
Printed Name ______
This project has been reviewed and approved by the SUNY Fredonia Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research. Contact the Human Research Protections Administrator at (716) 673-3528 if you have any questions about: (1) the conduct of the project, or (2) your rights as a research participant, or (3) a research-related injury. Any other questions about the conduct of this research project should be directed to:
Principal Investigator:JM Crisman, Ph.D.
Sponsoring Organization: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Division, Jamestown Community College
College Address:109 SCCE, 525 Falconer St., Jamestown, NY 14701
Phone/E-mail: 716-338-1373/
Research Approval Administrator: Maggie Bryan-Peterson, CRA
Research Approval Institution: Grants Administration Research Services Office, SUNY Fredonia
College Address: 280 Central Ave., E230 Thompson Hall, Fredonia, NY 14063
Business Phone/E-mail: 716-673-3528/
1