STUDY AND CONSENT INFORMATION
You are invited to participate in a research study investigating the meanings and motivations of social reference manager use. You were selected as a possible subject because you are registered as Mendeley/Zotero users. We ask that you read this form and ask any questions you may have before agreeing to be in the study.
The study is a part of the project funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, “Understand the use and meaning of social media metrics in scholarly communication,” of which Dr. Cassidy R. Sugimoto (Associate Professor of Informatics at Indiana University Bloomington) is the co-principal investigator.
STUDY PURPOSE
The purpose of the larger research project is to examine the use and meaning of social media metrics in scholarly communication. This particular survey will analyze the ways in which individuals are using social reference managers, the demographic characteristics of these users, and the perceptions of these users regarding larger trends in scholarly communication.
PROCEDURES FOR THE STUDY
If you agree to participate in the study, you will be asked to answer a series of questions. It should take you no longer than 10 minutes to complete the questionnaire.
RISKS AND BENEFITS
The questionnaire is administered through the online Qualtrics survey platform, where data will be stored for no more than 12 months. No identifying information will be requested on the survey. There will be no material rewards, but the potential outcome is an increased understanding of issues in scholarly communication. The main potential risk is the time spent completing the survey and the possible decreased productivity of survey respondents as a result.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Efforts will be made to keep your personal information confidential. We cannot guarantee absolute confidentiality. Your personal information may be disclosed if required by law. Your identity will be held in confidence in reports in which the study may be published and databases in which results may be stored.
Organizations that may inspect and/or copy your research records for quality assurance and data analysis include groups such as the study investigator and his/her research associates, the Indiana University Institutional Review Board or its designees, the study sponsor, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and (as allowed by law) state or federal agencies, specifically the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) [for research funded or supported by NCI], the National Institutes of Health (NIH) [for research funded or supported by NIH], etc., who may need to access your medical and/or research records.
PAYMENT
You will not receive payment for taking part in this study.
CONTACTS FOR QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS
For questions about the study, contact doctoral fellow Pei-Ying Chen (peiychen@iu.edu).
For questions about your rights as a research participant or to discuss problems, complaints or concerns about a research study, or to obtain information, or offer input, contact the IU Human Subjects Office at (317) 278-3458 or [for Indianapolis] or (812) 856-4242 [for Bloomington] or (800) 696-2949.
VOLUNTARY NATURE OF STUDY
Taking part in this study is voluntary. You may choose not to take part or may leave the study at any time. Leaving the study will not result in any penalty or loss of benefits to which you are entitled. Your decision whether or not to participate in this study will not affect your current or future relations with Indiana University Bloomington.
By advancing to the next page, you are consenting to participate in the study.