PARTICIPANT CONSENT FORM

INVESTIGATORS: Grace Cerra, Marissa Guzman, Matthew Murdick

INTRODUCTION:
This consent form is for a research project, conducted by the above-mentioned investigators, to
be participated in by the investigator classmates in LIS 708 at Dominican University. You are
invited to participate in the survey below, but the investigators require that you fully read and
comprehend all information presented in this consent form before you begin.

SPECIAL LANGUAGE CLARIFICATIONS:

The participant in the study is you, the person who completely reads, comprehends, and agrees
to this consent form, chooses to perform the tasks asked of them, chooses to answer questions
asked on this form, and chooses to submit the form. The investigators are the researchers who
have constructed the questions for the participant to answer, or any instructions to be completed
by the participant, and who will analyze the data submitted. The survey is this web form which
contains the data answered by the participant, and analyzed by the investigators once the form
is submitted. Other terms used in this survey include:

Appeal Factor: A specific trait of a story or character within a story that the NoveList Plus
database uses to match books or authors that are similar.
Fiction: Prose that has been created by a storyteller using imagination. Even if initially based off
of actual events or people, it is not a factual accounting of actual events or people.
Genre: A classification for a book style, such as science fiction, fantasy, mystery, etc.
Nonfiction: Prose that serves as an accounting of actual events, people, or opinions.
Read-alike: A volume or ebook that has similar traits or appeal factors to another book.

SPECIAL TIME CONSIDERATIONS

To be able to complete this survey, the participant will be asked to watch a 2 minute video and
complete one task using the NoveList Plus database, available through the Rebecca Crown
Library. The investigators estimate that completion of both the video and the task should take 10
to 15 minutes in addition to the amount of time to answer the survey questions.

PURPOSE
In the long history of the library, librarians have helped readers to select their next read through
the process of readers’ advisory, directing readers towards stories based on the readers’
preferences. With technology today, databases, such as NoveList Plus, use algorithms to connect
stories by a variety of factors, including author, genre, and multiple appeal factors that have
similarities between stories. Very few published studies have been found investigating NoveList
Plus through the lens of MLIS students. This study investigates the awareness, amount of use,
and preferred features of the NoveList Plus database, through the perspective of MLIS students
enrolled in LIS 708.

PARTICIPATION
The prospective participant population has been chosen because of their enrollment in LIS 708.
Participation in this study is voluntary. To be a participant, and to have the data be used in the
study, the participant must:

Complete a task using the NoveList Plus database, which consists of looking up one of the
participant’s favorite authors in the database, and assessing the matching read-alike authors (see
instructive video below)

Fill out the survey, consisting of both Likert questions (ranking each statement by degrees of
strongly agreeing through strongly disagreeing with the statement) and demographic questions
(data about the progress so far in pursuing your MLIS degree, your Library and Information
Science field of interest, etc.)

Submit the survey form. Once you do so, the data that is collected will be used for analysis to
complete the research that has been described above in the “Purpose” section.

Once you complete the survey, you will be given a phrase to remember or write down. This
phrase can be recorded to include phrases from other studies to get full credit for the assignment
of taking other surveys.

BENEFITS

There is no direct benefit for the participant as a result of their participation in the study. The
data collected may help the investigators to produce information that is beneficial to all, in
regards to the MLIS student perspective on the database NoveList Plus generally, and, more
specifically, the perspective of MLIS students at Dominican University regarding that database.

RISKS
Some demographic questions asked in this survey could cause a level of discomfort in
answering. The participant has the option to not answer any questions that may cause this type of
reaction. Answering all questions will help the study to find more complete answers to research
questions, but under no circumstance is it a requirement. At any point during the survey process,
the participant has a right to choose to not participate. To do so, simply close this web survey
without submitting the information.
CONFIDENTIALITY
As with all data submitted online, the participant must be made aware that breaches of security in
regards to data transmitted via the worldwide web do occur. The investigators are using Google
Forms, a survey tool that is considered secure, and no direct personal identifiable data, such as
email, name or username, etc., is being collected. The investigators will use this data using the
appropriate confidentiality methods, but the overall results of the collective data will be shared
with the instructor of LIS 708, and research supervisor of this study, Dr. Troy Swanson.

CONTACT
If anything presented in this form has seemed unclear to a potential participant, or if the
participant has additional questions, feel free to contact this study’s research supervisor, Dr. Troy
Swanson via telephone at 708-974-5439 or via email at tswanson@dom.edu

By completing the survey you agree that:

- You have read and comprehend the information presented in this consent form.
- You have agreed to participate
- You are 18 years of age or older

SURVEY:
Please watch this video (less than two minutes) and complete the task assigned before answering
the survey questions:
https://youtu.be/5uVXuhGY8og

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
RQ1: Do MLIS students have an awareness of readers’ advisory databases, such as NoveList
Plus?

RQ2: Does a MLIS student’s chosen or prospective field of expertise influence their use of
reader's advisory databases such as NoveList Plus?

RQ3: If directed to use the NoveList Plus database to find a read-alike book for a personal
favorite author, do MLIS students find the results they are given useful or productive?

Demographic Questions:
1. Counting the hours for courses you are taking this semester, how many credit hours will
you have completed so far within your MLIS program?
a. 6 or less
b. 7-12
c. 13-18
d. 18-24
e. More than 25 hours
 - It is possible that a newer student who has 6 hours or less completed may not yet be
aware of the NoveList Plus database. We hypothesize that the more credit hours a student
has completed, the greater likelihood that the student is aware of the database. We will
use this information to understand the awareness asked in RQ1.

2. Once you finish your MLIS program, what is your preferred field of interest to pursue a career
in?
a. Insert Text Box
- We will be using this demographic information to better understand if the chosen field of
specialty has influence over the use of the NoveList Plus database (RQ2). For example,
we think someone who plans on going into reference services is more likely to be aware
of a reader’s advisory database.

3. During your MLIS studies, have you taken the course LIS702: Facilitating User Learning
and Information Needs?
a. Yes
b. No
- Between the three investigators, each having different instructors in three different
sections of LIS 702, we have discovered commonalities in the assignments across the
multiple sections. These common assignments also include at least one that has the option
of using the NoveList Plus database to complete. We may find a connection between
those who have taken the class and the subject’s awareness of the database itself, helping
to answer RQ1. If a student has completed LIS 702, or is currently enrolled, then they
will have likely examined the database more thoroughly for an assignment similar to the
ones across multiple sections experienced by the investigators. This will help us to
connect the evaluation of the database by the subjects (RQ3), to prior experience with the
database.

Survey Qs to answer RQs

1. Before this survey, I had never used Novelist Plus. (StrA (=5), Agree, Neither, Disagree,
StrD(=1))
- This question will help us directly understand the overall awareness of the
NoveList Plus database (RQ1). While it is understood that lack of use does not
directly connect to lack of awareness, a first time user (strongly agree) is much
less likely to know how to navigate the database as well as an experienced user
(strongly disagree).
2. Before this survey, the only tools for readers advisory I was familiar with were services
such as GoodReads, social media, or booksellers websites. (StrA (=5), Agree, Neither,
Disagree, StrD(=1))
 - This question connects with RQ1 because it would demonstrate a degree or lack
of awareness when it comes to paid databases such as Novelist Plus, as opposed
to a preference.
3. I prefer to take advantage of school provided subscription databases, such as Novelist
Plus, for the purpose of reader's advisory. (StrA (=5), Agree, Neither, Disagree,
StrD(=1))
- Students may prefer to use the database if they are aware of it (RQ1). We
hypothesize that students who have specific chosen fields of interest that require
reader’s advisory services might prefer to use Novelist Plus. For example, we
think that students specializing in reference are more likely to take advantage of
Novelist Plus, because it more directly ties into their work (RQ2).
4. I use NoveList Plus at least once a semester for school assignments.
- A chosen career or specialty in LIS will likely have more courses that focus, or do
not focus on readers’ advisory services, and thus the use of the NoveList Plus
database (RQ2).
5. I see myself using reader’s advisory databases like Novelist Plus often in my chosen field
of Library and Information Science (StrA (=5), Agree, Neither, Disagree, StrD(=1))
- This Likert question allows us to get input directly from the subject themselves
regarding RQ2. For example, the results gained from this question might help
prove or disprove our theory about students specializing in reference being more
familiar with Novelist Plus. We also think that students who know their chosen
field of interest will have an understanding if the classes they need to complete
their work experiences might require additional uses of Novelist Plus.
6. After completing the task for this survey, I prefer to make my own decisions about what
genres, appeal factors, similar authors, etc., to select while making a decision on my next
personal novel/book to read, without the aid of a reader’s advisory database, such as
NoveList Plus.(StrA (=5), Agree, Neither, Disagree, StrD(=1)
- If someone is not satisfied with the results they received during the task, they
may choose to rely on themselves or other (possibly non-paid) options for reading
suggestions (ie GoodReads, YouTube, social media) (RQ3). Someone who is
satisfied with the results might start implementing Novelist Plus as a tool for
reader’s advisory into their usual methods.
7. After completing the task for this survey, I found that all of the read-alike authors
appeared to be good matches to the author I searched, based on the descriptions given.
(StrA (=5), Agree, Neither, Disagree, StrD(=1))
- The results from this question is likely to help us with answering RQ3, by having
subjects give their own assessment of the database's performance, which can be
used to calculate overall opinion on performance of the NoveList Plus database
from an MLIS perspective (a key gap found when examining literature).
 8. After completing the task for this survey, I am interested in checking out some or all of
the read-alike authors that I received as results (StrA (=5), Agree, Neither, Disagree,
StrD(=1))
- This question relates to RQ3 in that the investigators find it less likely for a
subject who is dissatisfied with the results to use the database again, as opposed to
a satisfied subject.
9. I am likely to use Novelist Plus for reader’s advisory purposes in the future. (StrA (=5),
Agree, Neither, Disagree, StrD(=1))
- This question can point towards both satisfaction with the database (RQ3), and
the possibility that the subject’s chosen field of expertise may require the use of
the database (RQ2). One limitation we face with this question is that reader’s
advisory (for the future) could be personal or professional.
10. After using NoveList Plus in this study, I think that it will be useful in my field of interest
(StrA (=5), Agree, Neither, Disagree, StrD(=1))
- Depending on their field of interest, we’ll be able to back up RQ2 by determining
if the students’ chosen fields influence the use of Novelist Plus. For example, if a
student says no and their field is cataloging, they are less likely to use Novelist
Plus. Going off of survey question 8, we'll be more likely to determine if this will
factor into professional use of Novelist Plus as opposed to personal use.
Therefore, we will use correlations between 9 and 10 to further differentiate
professional or personal use.

END OF SURVEY:

The secret code word for this survey is: Division Street

Please email this word to Troy in order to get your points for taking the surveys. Try to do
one email with all code words included.