PARTICIPANT INFORMATION
STUDENT RESEARCH PROJECT ETHICS REVIEW
Division of Psychiatry & Applied Psychology
Project Title: [insert]
Researcher/Student: [insert nameuniversity e-mail address]
Supervisor/Chief Investigator: [insert name & university e-mail address]
Ethics Reference Number: [insert when your project has received ethical approval]
We would like to invite you to take part in a research study about [describe the topic in terms which participants can easily understand]. Before you begin, we would like you to understand why the research is being done and what it involves for you.
What is the purpose of this study?
……… [Insert brief summary of the aims of the research in layperson’s language. See ‘Guidance for Students and Supervisors’ for advice. For most PGT studies the purpose may be primarily educational (ie. to allow the student to gain an academic qualification), this is entirely reasonable and should be made clear]
Why have I been invited?
You have been invited because… [Explain how/why participants have been identified or chosen. Do not name other participants. What this means is that you need to explain why the individual participant has been selected, and you need to remind the participant why that is. They may have responded to a poster or e-mail, perhaps you are targeting using information from a gatekeeper, even inviting everyone in the organisation to take part. It is essential that you make the reason for the invitation to participate clear.]
Do I have to take part?
It is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. If you do decide to take part you will be given this information sheet to keep and be asked to sign a consent form (if appropriate – as completion and return of a questionnaire can also be taken as consent). You may change your mind about being involved at any time, or decline to answer a particular question. You are free to withdraw at any point before or during the study without giving a reason.
What will I be asked to do?
If you choose to take part, you will be asked to … [see the ‘Participant Information’ section in the ‘Guidance for Students and Supervisors’. Make sure all elements of the study are covered, ie..completing questionnaires and or taking part in interviews.]
Will the research be of any personal benefit to me?
We cannot promise the study will help you but the information we get from this study may help ….
[if not, explain whom it might benefit in the future – but be careful not to over promise what others may decide to do with the results.]
Are there any possible disadvantages or risks in taking part?
……… [If, for example, the study might make participants upset, explain whom they could contact if this occur and/or signpost to appropriate resources]
What will happen to the information I provide?
……… [Explain how confidentiality (who has right of access to the data provided by participants) and anonymity (concealing the identities of participants in all outcomes resulting from the research, and assuring that they cannot be indirectly identified via location or demographic data) will be assured. Say who will have access to personal data provided.
……… [For interview studies, explain that personal details will be removed when the recordings are transcribed. Say what will happen to the recordings after the interview – e.g. transcribed by the researcher or an approved transcriber, and uploaded into a password-protected database or analysis using XXX software. Explain the use of quotes if relevant: e.g.“We would like to be able to quote what you say in our report or a publication. We will make sure that your anonymity is protected. But if you do not wish us to do so, please tell us.”]
……… [For internet-based studies, explain “Once you have completed and submitted an anonymous questionnaire it is not possible to withdraw the data because we won’t know who you are.”]
……… [Give details of the likely assignment, thesis, report or other outcome – for example a summary to managers or a summary page placed on an organisation’s website – providing the organisation has given permission. Explain how participants can learn about the results of the study.]
We will follow ethical and legal practice and all information will be handled in confidence.
Under UK Data Protection laws the University is the Data Controller (legally responsible for the data security) and the Chief Investigator of this study (named above) is the Data Custodian (manages access to the data). This means we are responsible for looking after your information and using it properly. Your rights to access, change or move your information are limited as we need to manage your information in specific ways to comply with certain laws and for the research to be reliable and accurate. To safeguard your rights we will use the minimum personally – identifiable information possible.
You can find out more about how we use your information and to read our privacy notice at:
The data collected for the study will be looked at and stored by authorised persons from the University of Nottingham who are organising the research. They may also be looked at by authorised people from regulatory organisations to check that the study is being carried out correctly. All will have a duty of confidentiality to you as a research participant and we will do our best to meet this duty.
At the end of the project, all raw data will be kept securely by the University under the terms of its data protection policy after which it will be disposed of securely. The data will not be kept elsewhere
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to ask. We can be contacted before and after your participation at the email addresses above.
What ifthere is a problem?
If you have any queries or complaints, please contact the student’s supervisor/chief investigator in the first instance. If this does not resolve your query, please write to the Administrator to the Division of Psychiatry & Applied Psychology’s Research Ethics Sub-Committee o will pass your query to the Chair of the Committee.
[Append for internet-based and social media studies and skype] “We believe there are no known risks associated with this research study; however, as with any onlineactivity the risk of a breach is always possible. We will do everything possible to ensure your answers in this study will remain anonymous.”