You are being asked to participate in a research study. Scientists do research to answer important questions that might help change or improve the way we do things in the future. This document will give you information about the study to help you decide whether you want to participate. Please read this form and ask any questions you have before agreeing to be in the study.

All research is voluntary. You can choose not to take part in this study. If you decide to participate, you can change your mind later and leave the study at any time. You will not be penalized or lose any benefits if you decide not to participate or choose to leave the study later.

This research is intended for individuals 18 years of age or older. If you are under age 18, do not complete the survey.

The purpose of this study is to understand user responses towards information technologies. We are asking you if you want to be in this study because you are a member of an online survey panel managed by Prolific Academic. The study is being conducted by Lei Wang, Paul Kang, and Hillol Bala. It is funded by Indiana University.

Risks and Benefits

To the best of our knowledge, the things you will be doing involve no more risk of harm than you would experience in everyday life. That said, some individuals may find answering questions about personal experiences uncomfortable. While completing each survey, you are free to skip any question for any reason. You are also free to quit at any time, for whatever reason. As with all research, however, there is a chance that confidentiality of the information we collect from you could be breached — we will take steps to minimize this risk, as discussed in more detail below.

Compensation

You will not be paid for participating in this study. In exchange for completing this study in this session, you will receive .25 research credits toward your maximum 1 research credit for extra credit in your participating class. If you do not wish to participate but still wish to receive credit, you may write a one-page ungraded paper on a topic of your choice. There is no cost to participate in the study.

Confidentiality

We will protect your information and make every effort to keep your personal information confidential, but we cannot guarantee absolute confidentiality. No information that could identify you will be shared in publications about this study.

Your personal information may be shared outside the research study if required by law. We also may need to share your research records with other groups for quality assurance or data analysis. These groups include the Indiana University Institutional Review Board or its designees, and state or federal agencies who may need to access the research record (allowed by law).

Contact Information

If you have questions about the study or encounter a problem with the research, contact the researchers:

Lei Wang — lw84@iu.edu

Paul Kang — kk69@iu.edu

Hillol Bala — hbala@iu.edu

For questions about your rights as a research participant, to discuss problems, complaints or concerns about a research study, or to obtain information or offer input, please contact the IU Human Subjects Office at +1 (812) 856-4242 or irb@iu.edu.