Study Name: Perceptions of Languages and Bilingualism

Today's Date: ${date://CurrentDate/FL}

Researchers: Dr. Ellen Bialystok

Distinguished Research Professor
Behavioural Sciences Building, 234
York University
(416) 736-2100 Extension: 66109, ellenb@yorku.ca

Purpose of the Research: This study investigates perceptions of language experience and bilingualism. This study seeks to understand and document the complicated ways in which bilingualism and languages are understood by individuals.

What You Will Be Asked to Do in the Research: This study involves completing an online questionnaire that will take between 30 minutes and one hour to complete.

After reading and agreeing to the consent form, you will be asked to fill out a questionnaire about your language use and background. This questionnaire will include questions about your language experience throughout your life and questions about your parent(s) or guardian(s) language use. In addition, there will be a few demographic questions. You will then be shown 15 language use scenarios and asked to judge them on a presented scale. Finally, you will be asked some questions about language experience.

Risks and Discomforts: We do not foresee any risks or discomfort from your participation in the research.

Benefits of the Research and Benefits to You: During this study, you will have the opportunity to reflect upon your language use and background in addition to language experiences in general. The results of this research will create a better understanding of the perception of bilingualism and language use.

Compensation for participant: Student participants will receive 1 credit for participating in this study (1 credit per hour of participation). Community participants will be entered for a draw to win a $50 gift card for participating in this study.

Voluntary Participation and Withdrawal: Your participation in the study is completely voluntary and you may choose to stop participating at any time. Your decision not to volunteer, to stop participating, or to refuse to answer particular questions will involve no academic penalty or loss of benefits you would receive otherwise or the nature of your relationship with York University either now, or in the future. If you stop participating, students will still be eligible to receive the promised 1 credit compensation and community members will still be entered in the draw for a $50 gift card for agreeing to be in the project. In the event you withdraw from the study, all associated data collected will be immediately destroyed wherever possible.

Confidentiality: All information you supply during the research will be held in confidence and your name will not appear in any report or publication of the research. To ensure that your participation remains confidential, your data will be identified by a code number, and only the principal investigator will have access to the information that links your identity to the data. Your data will be safely stored on a secure, password-protected server and only research staff/research team members will have access to this information through their user IDs and passwords. The data collected for this study will be stored for ten years until it is destroyed via secure deletion from the server and reformatting of drives. Confidentiality will be provided to the fullest extent possible by law.

The questionnaires will be provided through an online software called Qualtrics, which is a United States of America (USA) company. Consequently, Qualtrics or USA authorities may access survey data in some forms (e.g., aggregate usage information) and under strict policies. Qualtrics employs a variety of security features (e.g., high-end firewall systems, and frequent security scans) to prevent unauthorized data access. More information on the Qualtrics security system can be viewed here: https://www.qualtrics.com/security-statement/. Information regarding their protective privacy is available here: https://www.qualtrics.com/privacy-statement/. Although Qualtrics usually stores IP address data, we have deactivated that function for this study. You will be identified by ID number only.

The researcher(s) acknowledge that the host of the online survey (e.g., Qualtrics) may automatically collect participant data without their knowledge (i.e., IP addresses.) Although this information may be provided or made accessible to the researchers, it will not be used or saved without the participant’s consent on the researcher’s system. Because this project employs e-based collection techniques, data may be subject to access by third parties as a result of various security legislation now in place in many countries and thus the confidentiality and privacy of data cannot be guaranteed during web-based transmission.

Questions About the Research? If you have questions about the research in general or about your role in the study, please feel free to contact the principal investigator, Dr. Ellen Bialystok, either by telephone at (416) 736-2100 extension 66109, by e-mail (ellenb@yorku.ca). This research has received ethics review and approval by the Human Participants Review Sub-Committee, York University’s Ethics Review Board and conforms to the standards of the Canadian Tri-Council Research Ethics guidelines. If you have any questions about this process, or about your rights as a participant in the study, please contact the Sr. Manager & Policy Advisor for the Office of Research Ethics, 5th Floor, Kaneff Tower, York University (telephone 416-736-5914 or e-mail ore@yorku.ca).

Do you consent to participate in Perceptions of Languages and Bilingualism conducted by Dr. Ellen Bialystok? I have understood the nature of this project and wish to participate. I am not waiving any of my legal rights by signing this form. Clicking the ‘I consent’ button below indicates my consent.