An information-consent letter is used most often to inform a potential participant about a research study and to document a participant's agreement to take part in the study.
Sample information-consent letters and forms
Statements to include if:
- providing remuneration;
- using a draw;
- conducting research with children;
- collecting data using online surveys/questionnaires (e.g., Qualtrics), Skype/MS Teams/Zoom platforms or other online data collection methods; and/or
- anonymous survey.
If providing remuneration include the following in the information letter:
- of cash or near-cash with value less than $300 include: "The amount received is taxable. It is your responsibility to report this amount for income tax purposes."
- value $300 or more include the following: "The amount received is taxable. You will be asked to sign a release of personal information form for purposes of remuneration and for issuing a tax slip."
If using a draw include the following in the information letter:
-
"In appreciation of the time you have given to this study, you can enter your name into a draw for 1 of X prizes. The prizes include [insert prizes and dollar value, for example "a movie pass or a $10 Tim Horton's gift card"]. Your odds of winning one of the prizes is 1 in X [or if the odds is unknown or difficult to determine the following can be stated: "Your odds of winning one of the prizes is based on the number of individuals who participate in the study. We expect that approximately X individuals will take part in the study."] Information collected to draw for the prizes will not be linked to the study data in any way, and this identifying information will be stored separately, then destroyed after the prizes have been provided. The amount received is taxable. It is your responsibility to report this amount for income tax purposes."
If conducting research with children where you may be obligated to disclose information that would need to be reported include the following in the information letter to the parents/guardians:
- "In cases where researchers believe that a child may need protection from harm, researchers must by law report this information to authorities."
Updated: If using an online platform (e.g., MS Teams, Zoom) to collect data from surveys, interviews or focus groups, include the following language in the information letter.
If using a University of Waterloo supported platform (e.g., MS Teams, Zoom):
- “The interview will be conducted over an online platform, [name of platform]. [Name of platform] has implemented technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect the information provided via the Services from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, no Internet transmission is ever fully secure or error free.”
If using another platform (e.g., Google Forms, Survey Monkey) :
- “The interview will be conducted over [insert name of platform]. When information is transmitted over the internet privacy cannot be guaranteed. There is always a risk your responses may be intercepted by a third party (e.g., government agencies, hackers). University of Waterloo researchers will not collect or use internet protocol (IP) addresses or other information which could link your participation to your computer or electronic device without first informing you."
Internet Survey Using Qualtrics: (Note: this statement can be used because uWaterloo has a license for this software)
- "You will be completing the study by an online survey operated by Qualtrics. Qualtrics has implemented technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect the information provided via the Services from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, no Internet transmission is ever fully secure or error free.
[If IP tracking is turned off]: “Please Note: We do not collect or use internet protocol (IP) addresses or other information which could link your participation to your computer or electronic device.”
[If IP tracking is not turned off]: “Qualtrics temporarily collects your computer IP address to avoid duplicate responses in the dataset but will not collect information that could identify you personally.”
Internet Survey (Using something other than Qualtrics)
- “When information is transmitted or stored on the internet privacy cannot be guaranteed. There is always a risk your responses may be intercepted by a third party (e.g., government agencies, hackers). [Name of company] temporarily collects your [company/contributor] ID and computer IP address to avoid duplicate responses in the dataset but will not collect information that could identify you personally."
For researchers who wish to offer an alternative to online participation or for participant groups with limited access to the internet please include:
- "If you prefer not to participate using this online method, please contact one of the researchers so you can participate using an alternative method such as a paper-based questionnaire or telephone call. The alternate method may decrease anonymity but confidentiality will be maintained."
If conducting an anonymous survey include something similar to the following in the information letter:
- "Because this is an anonymous survey the researchers have no way of identifying you or getting in touch with you should you choose to tell us something about yourself or your life experiences."