Dear Consultant/Collaborator,
We are writing to request your participation in the following research study. The aim of this research is to determine the perceived value of statistical consulting among statisticians and collaborators within a university setting. The results of this study will directly benefit members of the American Statistical Association and the Consulting Section of the ASA by providing evidence of the value of statistical consulting services to help educate university administrators and faculty review committees. Awareness of the value of consulting activities will encourage collaborative efforts in the scientific community. Additionally, the results will allow us to have a better understanding of modern consulting activities and to better understand how these activities are poised strategically at universities with various research missions and funding mechanisms. If you are a statistical consultant, in addition to obtaining your input, we also seek the opinions of individuals that you collaborate with at your university. We will ask you for names and email addresses of two collaborators that we may contact to also complete the survey.
There are no known risks or discomforts to you in this research study. We will do everything we can to protect your privacy and confidentiality. No one will be told that you were in this study or what information was collected about you in particular. The contact information and responses of your collaborators will also remain confidential. Results of this study will be published in aggregate without identification of any particular respondent.
A link to the survey is provided below:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Perception-of-Statistical-Consulting-in-a-University-Setting
Please keep in mind that this survey has been designed to be completed on a computer and has not been explicitly optimized for completion on mobile devices. Your participation in this study is completely voluntarily. You may choose not to take part and you may choose to stop taking part at any time. You will not be punished in any way if you decide not to be in the study or to stop taking part in the study.
Thank you for your consideration. Please let us know if you have questions. If you have any questions or concerns about your rights in this research study, please contact the Clemson University Office of Research Compliance (ORC) at 864-656-6460 or irb@clemson.edu. If you are outside of the Upstate South Carolina area, please use the ORC's toll-free number, 866-297-3071. You may also wish to contact your institution's IRB office to discuss participation in this study.
Sincerely,
Julia L. Sharp and Patrick D. Gerard
Clemson University
Survey Link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Perception-of-Statistical-Consulting-in-a-University-Setting
-------------------------------------------
Patrick Gerard
Clemson University
-------------------------------------------