Moments of Decision in Video-Recorded Writing Center
Consultations Consent Form (Client)
The University Center for Excellence in Writing (UCEW) is currently conducting a research study on the
effectiveness of writing center consulting. For this study, we are video recording consultations with students.
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Title of the Study:
“Moments of Decision in Video-Recorded Writing Center Consultations: How Demographics and
Personality Affect Consultants’ Decision-Making”
Investigators:
Jeffrey R. Galin, Associate Professor English, Director (UCEW), and Director of Writing Across the
Curriculum (WAC); Suzanne Sink, Assistant Director, UCEW; Peter Cava, Bell Jones, and Anole Halper,
UCEW Consultants; and Anna Johnston, UCEW Administrator.
Purpose:
We are asking you to participate in this study to help the UCEW identify what kinds of decisions
consultants make during sessions with clients and whether those decisions can be correlated to certain
personality traits or demographics of consultants and clients. Participation is completely voluntary. If you
chose to participate, you will complete a personality profile called the Big Five Personality Profile and a
short demographic survey. Then the consultant will video record your appointment using the computer.
Even though your likeness will be visible in the video, your name will never be associated with the video
either in the audio track or on paper. Selected clips from the videos may be used in the following four
ways:
a. training new and current writing center consultants
b. making the clips available for other writing centers to use segments in their training programs
c. publishing clips with discussions about the decisions that writing center consultants make, whether
those decisions are influenced by demographics and/or personality types, and how those decisions
can be improved
d. presenting the results of our study at conferences or in published work.
Procedures:
a. The consultant explains the research project to you.
b. If you agree to participate, either before or after the consultation session, you will be asked to
complete a personality profile and a short demographic survey. This process should take no more
than 10 minutes to 15 minutes more than a typical 25 or 50 minute consulting session.
c. You and the consultant check "Yes" or "No" in your respective consent forms.
d. The consultant opens the recording software on the computer. The software being used is
SMRecorder, a free video and screen capture software.
e. The consultant conducts the writing consultation in the same manner that all of the UCEW's
sessions are conducted.
f. You re-select "Yes" or "No" on the consent form at the end of the session to verify that you are
still comfortable sharing the session for the training, research, and publication purposes. If, after
the session is over, you decide that you are not comfortable allowing the video to be used, you can
simply click the radio button beside the line that says: “I have changed my mind. I do not
consent.” At that time, the consultant will delete the file and abort the remainder of this protocol.
g. You complete "Big Five Personality Profile Test" and "Moments-of-Decision Participant
Demographic Survey" (if you did not already do so before the session began).
h. You are given a card that entitles you to one additional half-hour of consultation beyond what is
normally allowed in a given week.
i. The consultant reviews the recording at a later time and completes the document “Moments-ofDecision Record,” marking the start and stop times of segments that represent moments of
decision and providing brief descriptions of how each of these segments represent moments of
decision.
j. The consultant makes sure the recording is removed from his or her password protected storage
space and placed on a password protected external hard drive by the UCEW's administrative
assistant who is listed as a co-investigator above.
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Risks:
The risks and discomforts of participating in this study are minimal; however, some individuals may
experience mild psychological stress that is similar to the levels of stress associated with regular academic
activities. If you do experience stress, you are welcome to stop the video process at any time by asking your
consultant. If you have remaining concerns, please feel free to contact the director of the UCEW at (561)
297-1221. If you would like to address stress beyond these options, you can consult CAPS (Counseling and
Psychological Services) at (561) 297-3540. Participation in this project will in no way affect your grades in
classes or your ability to use the resources of the UCEW.
Benefits:
By participating in this study, you will receive a card that entitles you to one extra half-hour of consultation
time beyond what is typically allowed in a given week. You may use this card at any time during the
semester that you have participated in the study. You may participate once a semester. This study will also
allow the UCEW researchers to develop a set of training videos that compile and categorize moments of
decision. Researchers will develop a taxonomy of such moments and study whether correlations exist
among moments of decision, personality profiles, and demographics. The results will lead to the
development of training videos with real excerpts from consultations. These videos will contribute to the
quality of consulting at FAU and to consulting at writing centers nationwide.
Data Collection & Storage:
All collected data will be stored initially on the consultant’s password-protected university network account
and then transferred onto a password-protected external hard-drive. Upon transfer, it will be erased from
the consultant’s FAU account. Only the director, assistant director of the UCEW, and research team will
have access to the original data. The data will be stored and short clips will be used to train new
consultants, research to improve writing center practices, and publish the results in presentations and/or
publications to share with others the results of the study and selected training materials. Your responses to
the personality profile and demographic survey will be submitted to an FAU server using a secure,
password-protected website. Only the researchers working with the study will see that data. All data
provided will be kept confidential, unless required by law. We will make every attempt to keep your data
secure to the extent permitted by the technology. However, no guarantees can be made regarding the
interception of data sent via the Internet by any third parties.
Contact Information:
For related problems or questions regarding your rights as a subject, the Division of Research of Florida
Atlantic University can be contacted at 561-297-0777. For other questions about the study, you should call
the principal investigator, Dr. Jeffrey R. Galin, at 561-297-1221.
Consent Statement:
I have read, or had read to me, the preceding information describing the UCEW "Moments of Decision in
Video-Recorded Writing Center Consultations" research project. Any questions have been answered to my
satisfaction. I am 18 years of age or older and freely consent to participate. I understand that I am free to
skip any questions in the survey or Big Five Personality instrument and withdraw from the project at any
time without penalty by writing the Principle Investigator that I desire to be removed from the study.
I agree to have my consulting session video/audio taped as part of the “Moments of Decision in Video-Recorded
Writing Center Consultations” research project and to allow excerpts of those recorded sessions to be used for
training, research, and publication purposes.
* Required
Consent *
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Yes
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No
Participant Signature: *
Date: *
Example: 03/05/2013 11:30 AM
By signing this form a second time, I confirm after the completion of the session that I still agree for this video
session to be used for training, research, and publication purposes. *
Please wait to continue this process until after your consultation session is over. Your consultant will make sure that
you remember to complete this process before you leave the writing center today.
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Yes, I consent.
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No, I have changed my mind. I do not consent.
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Other: