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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Dear Colleagues—<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">We (Kristin Bivens, Dan Richards, and myself) invite you to participate in a research study entitled “DART (DAtabank ReposiTory) for Scholars in Technical and Professional Communication.” This study seeks to learn<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>about
the practices of conducting empirical research that scholars in our field engage in, if they have previously contributed to or used a databank/repository to house the data they collect, and to assess their level of interest in using and/or contributing to
such a resource designed specifically for scholars in our field in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">The remainder of this e-mail provides consent information about this research project. If you are willing to participate, please click on the following link:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d0d1SP1SukNOyBE" title="https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d0d1SP1SukNOyBE"><span style="color:#0563C1">https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d0d1SP1SukNOyBE</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.8pt"><b><span style="color:black">At the end of the survey, you will also be invited to provide contact information if you are interested in being interviewed about your responses to the survey. If you provide this
information, I will contact you via e-mail and send you a consent form for that portion of the study.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">Best Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">-- <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">Candice A. Welhausen, PhD<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">Associate Professor of Technical Communication<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">Department of English<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">Auburn University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">Auburn, AL 36849<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black"> </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black"> </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black">Information Letter for a Research Study entitled “DART (DAtabank ReposiTory) for Scholars in Technical and Professional Communication”</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black">You are invited to participate in a research study</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black"> </span></span><span style="color:black">to learn<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>about the practices
of conducting empirical research that scholars in technical and professional communication (TPC) engage in, the extent to which they may have used and/or contributed their empirical research to databanks or repositories, and their level of interest in using
and contributing to a databank or repository developed for scholars working in TPC in the future.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>The study is being conducted by Candice A. Welhausen, Associate Professor, in the Auburn University Department of English.
Research team<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>members include Kristin Marie Bivens, PhD (Scientific Editor,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>University of Bern,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Institute of Social and Preventive
Medicine) and Daniel Richards, PhD (Associate Professor and Associate Chair, Department of English, Old Dominion University).<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>You were selected as a possible participant because you are a researcher in this field
and are age 19 or older.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black"> </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black">What will be involved if you participate?<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color:black">Your participation is completely voluntary.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>If you decide to participate
in this research study, you will be asked to complete an 8-question survey housed in Qualtrics and to provide feedback to the PI either via e-mail or in a Zoom interview. The survey will take less than 5 minutes to complete. The survey asks about the kinds
of empirical data collection methods that you use, whether you have contributed to or used a databank for your research and teaching, and your level of interest in contributing to or using data created by researchers working in TPC in the future. The survey
can be found here:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d0d1SP1SukNOyBE" title="https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d0d1SP1SukNOyBE"><span style="color:#0563C1">https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d0d1SP1SukNOyBE</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">At the end of the survey, you will be invited to provide your contact information if you are interested in participating in a follow-up interview conducted via Zoom. The purpose of the interview is to ask additional questions about
your responses to the survey. You may choose to respond to the survey and not provide any identifying information. If you respond to the survey anonymously, no information will be collected that could be used to identify you. If you provide contact information,
you will be contacted by the PI (Dr. Candice A. Welhausen) via e-mail and asked to sign a consent form to participate in the interview.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black"> </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black">Are there any risks or discomforts?<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color:black">The risks associated with participating in this study are breach of confidentiality for participants who provide
contact information. If confidentially were to be breached, you might be associated with comments you made about your data collection practices and your opinions about contributing to and using a databank/repository for your research and your teaching. To
minimize these risks, only the PI and the research team, which includes Dr. Bivens and Richards and a research assistant will have access to the survey results in Qualtrics. Access to the survey results will be password protected.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">According to the Qualtrics’ website, their security features are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">“Qualtrics servers are protected by high-end firewall systems and scans are performed regularly to ensure that any vulnerabilities are quickly found and patched. Application penetration tests are performed annually by an independent
third-party. Access to systems is restricted to specific individuals who have a need-to-know such information and who are bound by confidentiality obligations. Access is monitored and audited for compliance. Qualtrics uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption
(also known as HTTPS) for all transmitted data.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black">Are there any benefits to yourself or others?<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color:black">There are no direct benefits to participants in this study.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black"> </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black">Will you receive compensation for participating?<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color:black">No.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black"> </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black">Are there any costs?<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color:black">If you decide to participate, you will not have to pay for anything.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black">If you change your mind about participating,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color:black">you can decide to not complete the survey. Your participation is completely voluntary. You may also complete
the survey and not provide contact information. Your decision about whether or not to participate or to stop participating will not jeopardize your future relations with Auburn University and the Department of English. You may also choose to skip questions,
or you can stop filling out the survey at any point and withdraw your participation before submitting your responses. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">If you do not provide contact information, any data obtained in connection with this study will remain anonymous. If you provide contact information, any data obtained in connection with this study will remain confidential. Information
obtained through your participation may be published in professional journals and/or presented at a professional meeting and/or<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>may be used in other projects, presentations, and publications related to this study
including a pedagogical component/arm of the study that will be added later. This arm of the study will investigate how a databank might be used in a methodology class in TPC. If you provide contact information at the end of the survey, the PI may also contact
you to ask if you are interested in future studies related to this project such as testing a pilot databank in a methodology class. However, no<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>identifying information about you will be released at any time. If you
provide contact information at the end of this survey, and you do not respond to an invitation to conduct an interview and/or to participate in future studies related to this project, you will not be contacted again about this project.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<i><span style="color:black"> </span></i><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black">If you have questions about this study,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color:black">contact Candice A. Welhausen at (505) 980 0992 or<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:caw0103@auburn.edu" title="mailto:caw0103@auburn.edu"><span style="color:#0563C1">caw0103@auburn.edu</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black"> </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black">If you have questions about your rights as a research participant,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="color:black">you may contact the Auburn University Office of Research Compliance or the Institutional
Review Board by phone (334)-844-5966 or e-mail at<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><u><span style="color:blue"><a href="mailto:IRBadmin@auburn.edu" title="mailto:IRBadmin@auburn.edu"><span style="color:#0563C1">IRBadmin@auburn.edu</span></a></span></u><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black"> </span></span><span style="color:black">or<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:IRBChair@auburn.edu" title="mailto:IRBChair@auburn.edu"><span style="color:#0563C1">IRBChair@auburn.edu</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="color:black">HAVING READ THE INFORMATION PROVIDED, YOU MUST DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS RESEARCH PROJECT. IF YOU DECIDE TO PARTICIPATE, THE DATA YOU PROVIDE WILL SERVE AS YOUR AGREEMENT TO DO SO. THIS LETTER IS YOURS TO KEEP.</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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