Thank you for considering participation in this study. Before you begin, please read the information below. It explains what the study is about, what you'll be asked to do, and how your data will be handled. You'll be asked to confirm your consent at the bottom of this page before proceeding.
What this study is about
This study is part of research on Bayesian prior elicitation methods conducted by [researchers' names] at Columbia University. The goal is to understand how people express their prior beliefs about an unknown quantity when given a simple, visual elicitation tool.
What you will be asked to do
If you choose to participate, you will complete a short sequence of steps:
- Read this overview and provide consent.
- Complete a prior elicitation task. You'll place chips on a chart to express your beliefs about an unknown parameter. This should take about a few minutes.
- Read a short informational page containing information on said unknown parameter.
- Complete the prior elicitation task again, now that you have received additional information.
In total, participation should take about 10–20 minutes.
Compensation
You will receive [amount / course credit / etc.] for completing the study.
Voluntary participation
Participation is entirely voluntary. You may stop at any point and close your browser without penalty. If you close the study before submitting a task, your responses for that task will not be recorded.
Data and privacy
Your responses will be recorded anonymously. We collect:
- Your responses to the elicitation tasks (chip placements and summary statistics)
- A randomly generated participant identifier used only to link your two elicitation tasks together
- An optional email address, if you choose to provide one (for follow-up, compensation, or notification purposes)
We do not collect your name, IP address, or any other identifying information unless you voluntarily provide it. No cookies or third-party trackers are used. Data is submitted directly to and stored in Formspree.
Risks and benefits
There are no known risks to participating beyond those of everyday computer use. There is no direct benefit to you, but your responses will help improve methods for eliciting prior beliefs in [field].
Contact
If you have questions about the study, you can contact [name] at [email]. If you have concerns about your rights as a participant, you can contact [IRB / ethics board name and contact].