FAQs for Participants

If you have a question not covered here or elsewhere on our website, contact the IRB

Q1: I have signed a consent form for a study and now I have more questions. What should I do?

A1: On your consent form, there is a list of the researchers with their contact information. Questions that are related to a particular research study should be directed to these researchers.

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Q2: I signed a consent form to be in a study but I’ve changed my mind and I don’t want to do it. I don’t want to call the researcher because I'm embarrassed. What should I do?

A2: First, remember research is voluntary and you do not have to join or stay in a research study unless you want to. If you aren’t comfortable calling the researcher, email us.

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Q3: I received an email about joining a research study. I don’t want to do it and I don’t want to be contacted again. What should I do?

A3: The email should have a contact phone number and/or an email address for you to use, to let the researcher know you want to be excluded from future communications about the study. If you can’t find a phone number or email address for the researcher, you can email us. We will, however, need some information about the email and the study it mentions so that we can identify the study and help you.

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Q4: I am already in a research study but I don’t like what’s going on. I tried to talk to the researcher but that wasn’t helpful. I still have concerns. What should I do?

A4: Email us. We will help identify the study in question and work with you to resolve your concern.

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Q5: I saw a flyer in the gym for a study that needs volunteers. I'm interested but I want to know whether this is a “real” study or whether it is a scam. What should I do?

A5: Email us with the details of the study. We can help you find out whether the study is “real” and approved by SU.

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Q6: I was online and I saw an announcement for a research study. When I clicked on the link, I went straight into some sort of survey by something called "Qualtrics." Is this online Qualtrics survey actually a legitimate research study or is it some sort of scam to steal my personal data or put malware on my computer?

A6: Email us with the details of the study. We can help you find out whether the study is “real” and approved by SU. One clue that it is legitimate is that the website address should include both "seattleu" and "qualtrics."