Implied Informed Consent Form for Social Science Research

The Pennsylvania State University ORP OFFICE USE ONLY

Title of Project:
Principal Investigator:
Directed Crowdsourcing Analytics Experiment
Dr. William L. McGill, Assistant Professor of IST
102L IST Building, University Park, PA 16802
(814) 867-0270; wmcgill@ist.psu.edu
DO NOT REMOVE OR MODIFY THIS BOX
IRB# 35051 Doc. # 1001
The Pennsylvania State University
Institutional Review Board
Office for Research Protections
Approval Date:10-12-2010 JDM
Expiration Date: 10-07-2011 JDM

1. Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a directed crowdsourcing system
designed to support analysis performed by a third-party analyst.

2. Procedures to be followed: You will be asked to install an application on your iPhone called HazOps. The
application is available via the iTunes store. The HazOps game is used to collect, verify and evaluate information on
hazards observed in the environment on the Penn State campus and immediately adjacent areas. Collection requires
taking a picture of a hazard, giving it a name and attaching a description. Verification requires verifying the existence
of hazards reported by others. Evaluation requires assigning a level of concern to the hazards reported by others.
Participation in this study can occur at any time of day and as often as you like during the study period. Each activity
earns participants points that are used to increase player status in the HazOps game. Participation is limited to those
people who have access to an iPhone.

3. Payment for participation: Participants may enter into a daily drawing to win one of two $25 VISA gift cards or
equivalent. The odds of winning the first gift card depend on whether you honestly participate (make one hazard
observation, verify a hazard or evaluate a hazard) in a given day. For example, if you and 200 others participate on
Tuesday, your odds of winning the gift card that Tuesday are 1/200. The research team will determine whether your
participation is honest and faithful.

The odds of winning the second gift card depend on the number of points earned and the total number of points you
decide to enter into the daily drawing. For example, if a player wagers 1,000 points and the total number of points
wagered by all participants was 15,000, the player’s chances of winning would be 1/15 for the day. Each participant
is limited to winning each drawing only once in any given seven-day period. All winnings must be claimed in person
through December 5, 2010.

4. Discomforts and Risks: There is no risk in participating in this research. You should not feel compelled to share any
information or do anything that will cause discomfort. All data will be kept confidential.

5. Benefits: By participating in this study, you will have the opportunity to use your knowledge about hazards and risks
to report on, verify and evaluate reports of hazardous conditions on the Penn State campus and immediately
surrounding areas.

6. Duration: The study is ongoing until midnight of 12/01/2010. You may participate as much or as little as you want.
The number of points earned in the HazOps game depends on the extent and quality of your participation.

The principal investigator reserves the right to end this experiment at any time prior to 12/01/2010. If this happens, an
email will be sent to all participants announcing the end of the experiment.

7. Statement of Confidentiality: Your participation in this research is confidential. All private data will be stored and
secured in locked or password protected files. In the event of any publication or presentation resulting from this
research, no personality identifiable information will be disclosed. Your confidentiality will be kept to the degree
permitted by the technology used. No guarantees can be made regarding the interception of data sent via the Internet
by any third parties. The Pennsylvania State University’s Office for Research Protections, the Institutional Review
Board and the Office for Human Research Protections in the Department of Health and Human Services may review
records related to this research study.

8. Right to Ask Questions: Please contact Dr. Will McGill at (814) 867-0270 or wmcgill@ist.psu.edu with questions,
complaints or concerns about this research. You can also contact this person if you feel this study has harmed you. If
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 you have any question, concern, or problem about your rights as a research participant or would like to offer input,
please contact The Pennsylvania State University’s Office for Research Protections (ORP) at (814) 865-1775. The
ORP cannot answer questions about research procedures. Questions about research procedures can be answered by the
research team.

9. Voluntary Participation: Your decision to participate in this research is voluntary. You may terminate your
involvement at any time. You do not have to do anything you do not want to. Refusal to take part in or withdrawing
from this study will involve no penalty or loss of benefits you would receive otherwise.

You must be 18 years of age or older to take part in this research study.

Completion of the whole experiment implies that you have read the information in this form and consent to take part in
the research.

Please keep or save this form for your records or future reference.

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