Participant information sheet
Participant information sheet

Section A: The Research Project

1. Title of project: Reactions to Victims

2. Purpose of study
This study is interested in how people react to a victim of sepsis who has suffered amputations due to their treatment.

 3. Who is the researcher?
My name is Stephanie Thomson and this research is part of my Postgraduate degree at Anglia Ruskin University. My supervisor is Dr Annelie Harvey.

 4. Why have I been asked to participate?
You have been invited to take part in this research because you are 18 years old or older.

 5. How many people will be asked to participate?
I am planning to recruit approximately 100 participants 

6. Do I have to take part?
You can refuse to take part without giving a reason.

 7. Has the study got ethical approval?
The study has got ethical approval from the School Research Ethics Panel (SREP) at Anglia Ruskin University.

 8. Legislation relating to the study
The study complies with the Data Protection Act (2018), the General Data Protection Regulation (2018) and British Psychological Society ethical guidelines at all times.

 9. Source of funding for the research, if applicable
This research is not funded.

 10. What will happen to the results of the study?
My research will be written up for my Postgraduate dissertation and there is always the possibility for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

 11. Contact for further information
Stephanie Thomson st1130@student.aru.ac.uk

Section B: Your Participation in the Research Project

1. What will I be asked to do?

Participants in this study will first be asked some optional demographic questions (e.g., age and gender) and some questions about yourself (e.g., questions about your world views). You will then be asked to read about a young woman who has had her legs and arms amputated due to treatment for a deadly blood disease. You will then be asked some questions about the victim.

Please note this study contains information about disease and a victim’s suffering. If you feel thinking about or discussing these topics will be distressing for you, we urge you not to participate. This is an online study that will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. You only need to take part once.

No identifying information will be requested from you, so your data will remain anonymous. You can withdraw from the study at any time by closing the browser. Please note that your data will not be able to be withdrawn from the study due to its anonymous nature.


 2. In relation to this specific research project, we need to make you aware of the following:
We are responsible for the personal data you give to us as a: Data Controller
Anglia Ruskin University is in sole control over the research.

I will be asking you for the following information:
Personal Data and Special/Sensitive Personal data
☐ Name/Contact details
☐ Image (photo or video)
☐ Racial/Ethnicity data
x Age
x Experiences
☐ Political/Religious beliefs
☐ Address/location data
x Opinions
☐ Trade Union membership
☐ Employment & Earnings
x Gender
☐ Genetic/Biometric data
☐ ID Numbers (e.g. NHS)
☐ Health
☐ Online identifier
☐ Sex life/orientation data

3. What will happen to my data?
Our general privacy notice explaining our use of your personal data for research purposes is available here: https://www.aru.ac.uk/privacy-and-cookies/research-participants

Please visit this link for information about how long we keep your data, how we keep your data secure, how you can exercise your rights over your data, and make a complaint over our use of your data.

Data will be collected through Qualtrics and stored according to the site’s Privacy Policy: https://www.qualtrics.com/privacy-statement/
3. What will happen to my data?
Our general privacy notice explaining our use of your personal data for research purposes is available here: https://www.aru.ac.uk/privacy-and-cookies/research-participants

Please visit this link for information about how long we keep your data, how we keep your data secure, how you can exercise your rights over your data, and make a complaint over our use of your data.

Data will be collected through Qualtrics and stored according to the site’s Privacy Policy: https://www.qualtrics.com/privacy-statement/

All the information that we collect during the study itself will be anonymous upon collection and kept strictly confidential. You will not be able to be identified in any ensuing reports or publications. Your answers cannot and will not be linked to any personally identifiable details.

Only anonymous or pseudo-anonymised data will be shared with other researchers, directly involved in this study.
 • Anonymisation refers to the process of removing personal identifiers that may lead to a person being identified from that information or combined with other information.
 • Your personal data will be processed in compliance with UK law. Where participants are in European Economic Area (EEA) countries, this will be viewed as equivalent law to their own. The EEA includes EU member states and also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway
 • The lawful basis that would be used to process your personal data will be the performance of a task in the public interest. Your personal data will be stored securely and confidentially, as long as it is required for the research project. We will endeavour to minimise the processing of personal data wherever possible. Data will be securely held. In my dissertation, and potentially in publications, I will report some of your quotes, but you will not be named at any points. Anonymised data may be made available in an open access format if published.

4. Will I be reimbursed travel expenses?
No travel expenses will be incurred as this study is online.

5. Will I receive any payment to take part in the research?
Psychology students at Anglia Ruskin University will be offered 0.25 SONA credits to take part in the research.

6. Are there any possible disadvantages or risks to taking part?
There will be no risk involved in participating in this study, beyond that experienced in day-to-day life. All standard health and safety regulations will be adhered to, and a risk assessment will be completed prior to testing. There are no special precautions that you need to take before, during or after taking part in the study. Agreement to participate in this research does not compromise your legal rights should something go wrong.

7. What are the likely benefits of taking part?
If you are an ARU student, you will receive 0.25 credits from SONA as a reimbursement for completing the study. Otherwise, the study will not have any direct benefits to participants. The main benefit is to be educational.

8. Can I withdraw from the study at any time, and how do I do this?
If you decide to take part in this study and wish to withdraw, you are free to do so without prejudice, by closing the browser. You do not have to answer any questions that you do not wish to.

9. Can I withdraw my data from the study?
The information I collected from you was anonymous. This means that I won’t be able to remove your data, because I won’t know which belongs to you.

10. Are any special precautions I must take before, during or after taking part in the study?
No special precautions are required to take part in this study.

11. Summary of research findings
You will be provided with a debriefing note at the end of the study.

12. Contact details for complaints

If you have any complaints about the study, please contact the Chair of the Faculty Research Ethics Panel (FREP), by email at fse-ethics@anglia.ac.uk. Otherwise, according to Anglia Ruskin University’s complaints procedure, you can email: complaints@aru.ac.uk

Postal address: Office of the Secretary and Clerk, Anglia Ruskin University, Bishop Hall Lane, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1SQ.

You can download a copy of this Information Sheet by clicking ‘print’ on your browser.

Version 1 Updated 17/10/2024