Properties of Mathematical Questions

Participant Information Sheet

Investigators Details:

Lead researcher: Depy Markri. Email: d.makri@lboro.ac.uk

Other team members: Dr Ian Jones and Dr Colin Foster

School of Science, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU.

We would like to invite you to take part in our study. Before you decide we would like you to understand why the research is being done and what it would involve for you.

This study aims to provide insights that will inform the design and development of questions in tutorial sheets, workbooks and textbooks which will engage undergraduate students with different types of mathematical knowledge.

The above research team will conduct the research. The study is part of the Lead Researcher’s PhD work.

To participate in this study, you must be teaching mathematics at a university or engaged in research about mathematics.

You will be asked to judge some undergraduate mathematical questions online at your own convenience and answer some open-text questions. Overall, this may take 20 minutes.

Up to 20 minutes.

After you have read this information, asked any questions you may have and decided that you are happy to participate we will ask you to complete an Informed Consent Form. However, if at any time, before, during or after the study you wish to withdraw from the study, please contact the Lead Researcher. You can withdraw at any time, for any reason and you will not be asked to explain your reasons for withdrawing.

Once the study's results have been analysed (expected to be by September 2024), it may not be possible to withdraw individual data from the research.

No disadvantages or risks have been identified.

Data Protection Privacy Notice

What personal information will be collected from me and how will it be used?

We will not collect or retain any personal information apart from your name for consent to participate purposes, and email address in case there will be a need to contact you. 

What is the legal basis for processing my personal information?

Personal data will be processed on a public task basis.  For further details on the data protection legislation see: https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/

How long will my identifiable personal information be retained and will it be shared with others?

Both your name and email address will be stored securely in compliance with GDPR, and in line with your informed consent, and deleted when no longer required for this study.

Will my taking part in this study be kept confidential? 

No identifiable personal information will be included in any of the project submissions or shared beyond the investigators. No individual will be identifiable in any report, presentation, or publication.

How will the anonymised data/results collected from me be used?

The results of our analysis may be presented at academic conferences and published in a scientific journal. Everything will be anonymised, and no names will be included in this research.

How long will the anonymised data/results be retained?

Anonymised data will be archived to the University’s Research Repository and held indefinitely for future research.

I have some more questions; who should I contact?

Please contact the lead researcher Depy Makr: d.makri@lboro.ac.uk

What if I am not happy with how the research was conducted?

If you are not happy with how the research was conducted, please contact the Secretary of the Ethics Review Sub-Committee, Research & Enterprise Office, Hazlerigg Building, Loughborough University, Epinal Way, Loughborough, LE11 3TU. Tel: 01509 222423.
Email: researchpolicy@lboro.ac.uk

The University also has policies relating to Research Misconduct and Whistle Blowing which are available online at https://www.lboro.ac.uk/
internal/research-ethics-integrity/research-integrity/. If you require any further informationregarding the General Data  Protection Regulations, please see: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/privacy/research-privacy/.