Supported By: This research is supported by Technology and Social Behavior program and the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

Key Information about this research study:
The following is a short summary of this study to help you decide whether to be a part of this study. Information that is more detailed is explained later on in this form.

• The purpose of this study is to understand how Wikipedia editors identify and add missing information to Wikipedia.  This is a first step towards eventually building tools aimed at 1) identifying missing or biased information, and 2) reducing editor workload.
• You will be asked to participate in an online focus group with other Wikipedia editors.  Every week you will answer 2 prompts provided by the research team and respond to 2 answers given by other study participants in the focus group.
• We expect that this study will require a total of 4 hours over the course of 4 weeks.
• The primary potential risk of participating is potential loss of anonymity if you choose to disclose personal and/or identifiable information.
• By participating in this study you will help inform the design of tools and systems that could aid or augment existing processes for identifying missing or biased information in peer-production venues such as Wikipedia.

Why am I being asked to take part in this research study?
We are asking you to take part in this research study because you are a Wikipedia editor who helps to identify missing information and/or reduce bias on Wikipedia.  You are interested in understanding and mitigating “knowledge gaps”, and you actively participate in one or several WikiProjects or organizations designed to address these gaps.  You must be 18 years or older to participate in this study and an active Wikipedia editor who speaks English fluently.

How many people will be in this study?
We expect about 30 people will be in this research study.
 
What should I know about participating in a research study?

• Someone will explain the research study to you.
• Whether or not you take part is up to you.
• You can choose not to take part.
• You can agree to take part and later change your mind.
• Your decision will not be held against you.
• You can ask all the questions you want before you decide.
• You do not have to answer any question you do not want to answer

What happens if I say, “Yes, I want to be in this research”?
Before you begin the main part of the study: To participate in this study you will be asked to sign this consent form and agree to a community code of conduct.  After providing consent you will need to fill out a screener survey to find out if you qualify for the main part of the study.  If you qualify for the study you will be invited to participate in an invite only, private online community where the study will be conducted.

If you qualify for the study you can expect the following:

• The study will last 4 weeks.  You will be expected to respond to 2 prompts a week, which should take about 20 minutes each.  You will also respond to 2 community member responses each week, which should take about 10 minutes each.  From time to time the research team may ask follow up questions to specific responses.
• You will interact with other Wikipedia editors, as well as members from the research team.
• The research will take place in an online community using FocusGroupIt software.
• The research team will record all responses posted in the online community.  Most of the prompts will require written/text responses, but for a small portion of the study you  will upload images of rough sketches.

Will being in this study help me in any way?
We cannot promise any benefits to you or others from your taking part in this research. However, we hope that this research will benefit the larger Wikipedia community by developing tools designed to augment existing processes for improving Wikipedia.  By participating in this study you can provide suggestions and feedback that will guide the development of these tools.

Is there any way being in this study could be bad for me?
A possible risk for any research is that confidentiality or anonymity could be compromised.  We will do everything we can to minimize this risk, as described in more detail later in this form.

What happens if I do not want to be in this research, or I change my mind later?
Participation in research is voluntary. You can decide to participate or not to participate.  If you do not want to be in this study or withdraw from the study at any point, your decision will not affect your relationship with Northwestern University or Wikimedia.  You can leave the research at any time and it will not be held against you.  If you decide to withdraw from this study, the researchers will ask you if information already collected from you can be used.

How will the researchers protect my information?
Additionally, we have developed a code of conduct for the research community detailing expected standards of behavior in the group. One of the rules included in these guidelines includes participants not disclosing the details of who is in the group or what is discussed within the group with any outside parties.   Although we ask everyone in the group to respect the privacy and confidentiality of participants, and to keep the discussion in the group confidential, we cannot guarantee this. Please keep this in mind when choosing what to share in the group setting.

All participant data will be stored on a password protected server at Northwestern and retained for 3 years after the study unless otherwise requested, in compliance with Northwestern University’s policy.  Email addresses of participants will be stored with a unique linking identifier to participant data, and will be deleted once payment is rendered.  All data will be anonymized for reporting purposes.  Access to data on FocusGroupIt and our lab server is restricted only to the Principal Investigator (PI) and the PhD researcher.

Who will have access to the information collected during this research study?
Efforts will be made to limit the use and disclosure of your personal information, including research study records, to people who have a need to review this information. We cannot promise complete secrecy.

There are reasons why information about you may be used or seen by other people beyond the research team during or after this study.   Examples include:

• University officials, government officials, study funders, auditors, and the Institutional Review Board may need access to the study information to make sure the study is done in a safe and appropriate manner.  
• The research team may give information to appropriate authorities for reasons of health and safety – for example, if you indicate that you plan to harm yourself or others, or for public health reasons.

How might the information collected in this study be shared in the future?
We will keep the information we collect about you during this research study for study recordkeeping.  Your name and other information that can directly identify you will be stored securely and separately from the rest of the research information we collect from you.

De-identified data from this study may be shared with the research community, with journals in which study results are published, and with databases and data repositories used for research. We will remove or code any personal information that could directly identify you before the study data are shared. Despite these measures, we cannot guarantee anonymity of your personal data.

Will I be paid or given anything for taking part in this study?
You will receive $100 if you have completed 75% of the prompts, or $125 if you complete 100% of the prompts.  Payments will be made after the study is completed using Visa or Amazon Gift Cards.

Who can I talk to?
If you have questions, concerns, or complaints, you can contact the Principal Investigator Darren Gergle (dgergle@northwestern.edu) and Jim Maddock (maddock@u.northwestern.edu)

This research has been reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board (“IRB”) – an IRB is a committee that protects the rights of people who participate in research studies. You may contact the IRB by phone at +1 (312) 503-9338 or by email at irb@northwestern.edu if:

• Your questions, concerns, or complaints are not being answered by the research team.
• You cannot reach the research team.
• You want to talk to someone besides the research team.
• You have questions about your rights as a research participant.
• You want to get information or provide input about this research.

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If you want a copy of this consent for your records, you can print it from the screen.
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